Pontotoc MS News Commentary and Reading Recommendations

A scary situation. Check out the article for details!

From http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.d.../501290350/1002:
 
By state law, school districts cannot operate at a deficit.
"We cannot fund education unless we see some type of revenue increase, whether it's taxes or fees," Pearl schools Superintendent Stan Miller told a panel of four lawmakers. (...)
"They have very little wiggle room to raise money," said Senate Education Chairman Mike Chaney, R-Vicksburg.(...)

Gov. Haley Barbour repeatedly has said he won't support a tax hike. "Hopefully, some people will have a change of heart on revenue enhancements, but right now we'll work with what we've got," Gordon said. "We cannot abandon public education in Mississippi.

It's almost a cliche, but our future is in the hands of our children, and a bright future starts with well-funded schools and quality education!
 
Something has to be done to move schools even higher on the priority list of everyone.

06:21 AM   

'Haunted Places in Mississippi' mentions the Sav-a-lot in Pontotoc. Legend tells that a man or woman died in the building when it used to be Wal-Mart.

From http://www.juiceenewsdaily.com/0105/news...ississippi.html:
 
There have been more than one actions where weird things have happened. Most of these events have happened in the backroom. The incident that stands out most is when two employees, saw a very bright light coming toward them. The two fled in confusion, when suddenly a loud crash happened. When they got the guts to check it out nothing had been moved. This was the first known appearance of the light, but the crash has been heard a few times.

Does anyone have comments or an eyewitness account about this?
 
I would be mad, too, if my life ended while I was shopping at Wal-Mart.

06:03 AM   

As the article points out, 'Mississippi is still robbing Peter for Paul.' A must-read for residents - where does the tax dollar go?

From http://www.ddtonline.com/articles/2004/0...rials/edit2.txt:
 
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour played his cards straight and to the point as he addressed the 69th annual meeting of Delta Council last week in Cleveland.
He said he hoped the state Legislature could wrap up budget work before, or by, the May 9 deadline for the fiscal year 2005 state budget.
It seems that's been accomplished. But at what cost?(...)
Even the sacrosanct K-12 education budget wasn't spared the budget knife.

Very interesting...

08:09 AM   

So glad that he has returned safely.

From http://www.picayuneitem.com/articles/200...s/07hammill.txt:
 
Thomas Hamill is tired after his hostage ordeal in Iraq but told family members in an emotional phone call that he is excited to soon be returning home, his grandmother said Thursday.(...)
His tiny hometown in east Mississippi, which had planned a parade and other events to celebrate Hamill's homecoming, announced Thursday that planning for the events had ended.
"The city of Macon has been informed by the Hamill family that they prefer not to have any type of celebration for Mr. Tommy Hamill's homecoming," Mayor Dorothy Baker Hinds said in a statement. (...)
Vera Hamill said her grandson, at times emotional, had told her, "he didn't want 'nothing big for me. I just want to be quiet and be with my family.'"

God bless him.

09:20 AM   

A dubious honor. I wish medical researches would come out with a miracle medicine to melt away the pounds. But, I doubt that it will happen anytime soon, and I doubt that there will ever be a way to let people eat what they want, and still stay healthy. People will always find a way to overeat.

From http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeen...ing/8587176.htm:
 
Dr. Mary Armstrong, medical director for Mississippi's Office of Health Promotion, said the United States has become a "nation of convenience."
"We need to get back out there and enjoy the activities that get us moving and going, and not worry about getting that parking space that's right next to the door," Armstrong said. "Take the stairs instead of the elevator."
Mississippi is pushing several initiatives that include educating adults and working with schools on their physical activity and nutrition programs.

Colorado has the lowest obesity rate.
 
Let me venture a guess. It's because of the mountain terrain and the many opportunity for athletic activities.
 
The humid summer weather here in Mississippi is often not very inviting for outdoor activities. Also, the poverty level is a contributing factor. Healthy foods are often more expensive.
 
Still, I would encourage anyone to at least try and eat a low-sugar cereal for breakfast, and keep a bag of carrots handy for that mid-afternoon snack. It could go a long way towards creating a leaner, slimmer Mississippi.
 
P.S.: Have you ever noticed, that almost all overweight people skip breakfast 'to keep from gaining weight'? Makes you wonder...

06:26 AM   

A must-read for Pontotoc residents. And, what a nice gesture!

From http://www.ponotoconline.com/pontotoc/index.asp:
 
To the Pontotoc Community:
I was down there March 13 through 20 with a group of
ten other people for our Spring Break. We are from the University of Wisonsin
at Oshkosh, and met with other college groups from Central Iowa, and New
Hampshire to team up with Habitat for Humanity. While we were down
there, we accomplished much, but the reason that I am
writing this letter is to thank you all for the wonderful welcome you
extended to all of our groups, in the community, in your churches (By Faith
Baptist, and East Baptist), in your restaurants (Kirk's Grill, the Red
Rooster, and Lep's BBQ). Most of us came with the intention
of doing the work, and were not really expecting much, but what you
offered us was outstanding. Your community, wherever we went, greeted
us with open arms and a warm smile. I think that I can speak on behalf
of those who were with me on this mission by saying that we are all very
pleased to have been able to share our talents with you, and were very deeply
touched with the wonderful
hospitality we received from everyone. As a member of this group, I just
wanted to say thank you for all that you
provided us during this time. I look forward to the possibility of
working with your community again in the future, and have heard from
others that they also hope to return again in
the future.
Thank you Pontotoc!
Troy Olsen-Wais

It's very much appreciated. We love to entertain guests like Troy. Best wishes to him and for his future.

07:01 AM   

An hour-long morning exercise? I wonder how many people in Mississippi get that. From the looks, not many.

From http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/n...ate/8344788.htm:
 
Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Gordon, 59, returned to the Senate on Friday after being treated at the University of Mississippi Medical Center for chest pains.
He was released Thursday after several hours of observation.
(...) "What was so encouraging is that (Sen. Alan) Nunnelee said they all (senators) prayed for me and it was 31-20 for me to live," Gordon said.

07:23 AM   

For a small town like Aberdeen, we have seen way too much violence in the local news recently.

From http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/n...ate/8192553.htm:
 
The 6 p.m. Saturday shooting death of Frank Earl Gladney occurred during an argument but the exact motive remains under investigation, investigators said.
Gladney, who was the son of Aberdeen Fire Chief Frank Gladney, died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley.
(...) The 6 p.m. Saturday shooting death of Frank Earl Gladney occurred during an argument but the exact motive remains under investigation, investigators said.
Gladney, who was the son of Aberdeen Fire Chief Frank Gladney, died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Monroe County Coroner Alan Gurley.

Our prayers are with the family.

06:15 AM   

Good to know that bonding company employees are getting their daily amount of exercise.

From http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/7753977.htm:
 
A bonding company employee faces a firearms charge after he and City Council member Robert Smith chased a bond jumper several blocks near downtown this past weekend.
(...) Johnson, 44, of Smith Bail Bonding was charged after he fired two warning shots from a .357-magnum handgun Friday night.
Police Chief J.D. Sanders said the shot was an attempt to stop Darnell Welch, 33, of Macon, who allegedly ran from the bondsmen outside the Greyhound bus station.
Sanders said the bondsmen had received information that Welch, who had failed to appear in court on two counts of resisting arrest and two counts of false information, was going to leave on a bus.
The charge of discharging a weapon in the city limits is a misdemeanor.

Disturbingly enough, the article does not say if Welch was caught. Guess he got away.

09:06 AM   

State Lawmakers are considering legislation to curb cell phone use by state employees.

From http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0402/02/ma04.html:
 
One bill, to be introduced by Rep. John Reeves, R-Jackson, would require cell-phone contracts to go through a bid process and would regulate cell-phone use by state employees.
This legislation "is terribly needed to show that something is being done to get this (cost) under control," Reeves said. "That's just good government."
(...) Madison County spent an average of $9,659 a month during the past four months for 89 phones.
Hinds County, which has 117 cell phones, spent an average of $7,469 a month during a six-month period for service last year.

Yikes! Now let's go through those $1000's worth of phone calls and see which ones were actually necessary, and couldn't have been replaced with a brief text message or e-mail.

08:10 AM   

An article in the Clarion Ledger reports local success with anti-smoking efforts at the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi.

From http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0401/18/ma02.html:
 
For at least six months, Pontotoc resident Judy Putt's three daughters regularly told her about the health risks associated with smoking.
Brooke, 9, Christian, 8, and Laken, 6, learned about smoking hazards at North Pontotoc Attendance Center through the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi and, apparently, the lessons stuck.
What they said was nothing Putt didn't already know. Her mother died of lung cancer. Still, it took a Christmas card from Christian to make her stop.
"It said, 'Please quit smoking, Mommy, so you won't die.' That kind of floored me," Putt said. "I quit three weeks ago."

Drastic measures, for sure. But necessary. Children get constantly bombarded with images that make smoking look cool - the flipside has to be shown, too. - Interestingly enough, my own elementary-school-age son had dozens of lessons warning him not to smoke. But then one day he told me - 'I'll never smoke, only when I'm an adult'! Looks like in his mind, he combined the lessons with the reality of some adults smoking around him, to the 'over-18' rule.

06:54 AM