Vicksburg Speaks

Have you written a "letter to the editor?"

2010-10-26T10:34:00.002-05:00

"Letters to the Editor" at the Vicksburg Post are about the only means for the average Vicksburg/Warren citizen to publicly voice his or her opinion. They are effective if they are published, as many well-written letters have been. But despite the time and effort spent by concerned citizens in composing their letters, some are not published. That decision is made by the Post's administrative department. It's a form of censorship.

What has been your experience with the Post's policies regarding "letters to the editor?"

Bill Marcy vs. Bennie Thompson

2010-10-26T10:21:00.002-05:00

October 26, 2010: A week from today the most important election of our lifetimes will take place. Voters will decide senate and house races that generally pit conservatives vs. liberals and far-left ideologues. Locally, the race of most interest is that of Representative Bennie Thompson (D) vs. Bill Marcy (R). Their websites are located here http://www.benniegthompson.com/db/ or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Congressman-Bennie-G-Thompson/99445089418, and here http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=131091683595164&notes_tab=app_2347471856 (Facebook).

Would you like to sound off on the candidates?

Christmas at the Vicksburg Animal Shelter

2009-11-30T18:48:00.002-06:00

Southern Paws Rescue is happy once again to be sponsoring Christmas at the Vicksburg City Animal Shelter. We are asking for donations of dog, puppy, cat and kitten food. Along with dog treats, dog toys/chew bones, cat treats, cat toys and cat litter. We are gladly accepting donations until Dec 23rd, 2009. The following businesses are donation drop off locations: Vicksburg City Animal Shelter, 100 Old Mill Road. Belvedere & Co at the Flower Center, 3150 S Frontage Road. Adolph Rose, 717 Clay Street. Warrenton Farm and Garden, Hwy 61 South. Southern Paws, 1200 Openwood Street. Hometown Medical, 814 Belmont Street. Please call Southern Paws or the Vicksburg City Animal Shelter if you have any questions. Please consider adopting a shelter animal. Debbie Lowery, Southern Paws Standard Poodle and Small Breed Rescue, Vicksburg,MS. http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MS89.html

Animal hoarding - Meridian MS

2009-08-09T12:08:00.004-05:00

These videos depict the results of the inhumane treatment of dogs at a site near Meridian, Mississippi. The dogs were removed by rescuers. Locally, both Southern Paws Rescue and Paws Rescue are actively involved in rescuing and saving abandoned and mistreated animals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wR9S-0WXo4&feature=email

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arz0VXp5eVQ&feature=related

Mississippi Tea Party

2009-07-31T21:51:00.002-05:00

Several Vicksburgers have organized a Tea Party group. Join here, at the main Mississippi Tea Party site:

http://msteaparty.ning.com

Bennie Thompson voted FOR cap and trade bill

2009-07-08T20:26:00.001-05:00

Rep. Bennie Thompson, who represents Warren County in the U. S. House of Representatives, voted "aye" on the cap and trade bill, which has been described as the biggest tax increase in the history of the USA.

Property values in Warren County increase?

2009-07-08T17:27:00.002-05:00

Property values nationwide have plummeted, yet property values in Warren County increased by 5.9% last year. So says the Warren County Tax Assessor. Can that be true? Do you believe it? Or is the Warren County Board of Supervisors so desperate for money that it will go to any lengths to get it?

Winfield, Mayfield & Beauman: Vicksburg's new leaders

2009-07-08T09:26:00.003-05:00

Our new mayor and aldermen have been sworn in, and have held their first official meeting. What's your impression so far? Any predictions?

Warren County Board of Supervisors

2009-05-28T15:07:00.003-05:00

There's been lots of attention given the mayor and aldermen, and the mayoral race. What about the county supervisors? What kind of job are they doing?

Race relations in Warren County

2009-05-18T21:48:00.003-05:00

An editorial in Monday's Vicksburg Post on the subject of race relations in Warren County stated that "The numbers (of the various races) don't matter nearly as much as people's acts and attitudes about other races. Warren County has a pretty good score on the inclusiveness scale." This writer, having interacted for over thirty years with citizens of all races represented here, agrees. There is crime and finger-pointing, of course, but the criminals and the malcontents are certainly not confined to a single race. Neither are the compassionate and the unselfish, who outnumber the former by a hundred to one. With the nation facing an uncertain future, it is essential that all peoples of Vicksburg and Warren County continue to maintain their respect for one another and to work side by side to preserve our common interests.

Vicksburg Tea Party July 4

2009-05-12T11:19:00.002-05:00

Read one story about upcoming plans for a July 4 "Tea Party" here:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97144

We in Vicksburg should have one on July 4 as well. Get involved!

VICKSBURG'S MAYORAL RACE: LEYENS VS. WINFIELD

2009-05-11T11:31:00.006-05:00

Attorney Paul Winfield's victory in the Democratic primary placed him in a one-on-one matchup in the race for mayor against incumbent Mayor Laurence Leyens. The general election is slated for June 2.

Mayor LaurenceLeyens:

http://www.leyensresults.com/

Attorney Paul WinfieldWinfield:

http://winfieldforvicksburg.com/

JULY 4 - AMERICAN FREEDOM DAY

2009-04-22T08:57:00.002-05:00

Newt Gingrich is calling on Tea Party activists to make July 4, 2009, "American Freedom Day." To quote Speaker Gingrich:

"...we should make July 4, 2009 "American Freedom Day." Tea Party activists across America should plan to go out and recruit supporters from every Fourth of July celebration in their community.

"If one million freedom-loving Americans work from now to July 4, the size of the Tea Party movement will grow dramatically.

"As Tea Party leaders around the country email, chat, and call each other, they should learn the lessons from this past week and begin laying plans to make July 4, 2009 a day that goes down as a decisive turning point in the history of defending freedom."

If you would like to read Mr. Gingrich's entire column, "Will the Tea Parties Matter?" go here:

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31547

The Vicksburg Tea Party was disappointing because the word did not get out. Can we make July 4 much more successful?

Freedom & Islam: Can they coexist?

2009-04-18T11:55:00.003-05:00

This topic has been discussed before on the initial VS site. However, it is more relevant today than ever. Does Islam present a threat to our way of life? If so, what do we do about it?

Vicksburg Tea Party - April 15

2009-04-15T08:20:00.002-05:00

Vicksburg will have its own "Tea Party" on April 15 to protest the way the government is spending our tax dollars. The event will take place on the courthouse steps 5 PM. Greenwood, Jackson, Tupelo, etc., are also planning their own:

http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/mississippi/

Gun Control: Darrell Scott's Address to Congress

2009-04-08T16:51:00.006-05:00

This is truly one that needs to be read and disseminated. If it were not for the freedom of the internet, we would never have had access to it.

NOTE: There are apparently some inaccuracies in the following, e.g., the place and time of the address, whether or not the poem was included in the original address, etc. However, if the address in its entirety was not delivered as written, it certainly should have been.

Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootingsin Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House JudiciaryCommittee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders duringthis special session of Congress was painfully truthful.. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician,every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert. These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voicecrying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

'Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in thehearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or theseeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott,and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children whodied must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers. 'The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abelout in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, andthe reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart. 'In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at howquickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA.. I am nota member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I amnot here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe thatthey are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believethat they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to dowith Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent. I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- itwas a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of theblame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. Iwrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best:

'Your laws ignore our deepest needs, Your words are empty air. You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer. Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die. You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question 'Why?' You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed. And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need! '

Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, andspirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, wecreate a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in andwreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educationalsystems for most of our nation's history. Many of our 20 major collegesbegan as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in sodoing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately lookfor a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass morerestrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and privateliberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan wouldnot have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stopsomeone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The realvillain lies within our own hearts. 'As my son Craig lay under that tablein the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! Ichallenge every young person in America , and around the world, torealize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer wasbrought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered bythose students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with asacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right tocommunicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at theNRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heartbefore casting the first stone! My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!'

VPD - Vicksburg Profit Department?

2009-04-07T20:31:00.005-05:00

There has been quite a bit of discussion regarding the VPD's crackdown on speeders and seat belt law violators. Put in your two cents if you like.

At right is a photo of one of the VPD's enforcers - illegally parked and blocking a portion of Crawford Street, motor idling (you're paying for it), awaiting his next victim. Is that Mayor Leyens grinning from that upper floor window of City Hall?

Prepare for Your Tomorrow

2009-04-07T12:27:00.007-05:00

April 6, 2009
While many feel that the economy of the United States is turning around for the better, there are others who advise we prepare for a depression worse than the Great Depression. Whatever your take, we will herein suggest links to sites that offer advice that may allow you to prepare for either eventuality. We will also suggest sites that describe the problem, and the means for dealing with it, as well as other sites that illustrate the effects of the monumental changes in our government.

Move your money out of the USA?

http://www.whiskeyandgunpowder.com/move-your-money-out-of-america-and-soon/

Bill Moyers w/William Black: Fraud in high places

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04032009/watch.html

Strange Days of Debt, Peak Oil and Stock Rallies. Will you join a riot near you?

http://www.whiskeyandgunpowder.com/strange-days-of-debt-peak-oil-and-stock-rallies/

Man (Ron Paul supporter) detained and harassed at airport.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMB6L487LHM

Is Barack Obama a "natural born" citizen? Is he qualified to be president?

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94196

Theft of a Nation:

http://www.321gold.com/editorials/dougherty/dougherty041009.html

A Tale of Two Depressions

http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/3421

The Fourth Turning - A very interesting article regarding attitudes associated with generational changes

http://www.investorsinsight.com/blogs/john_mauldins_outside_the_box/archive/2008/12/29/foundations-of-crisis.aspx

And if things get really bad...

http://www.surviveanydisaster.com/emergency_supplies.html

Street Fighting Man:

http://caseyresearch.com/pdfs/20090504_StreetFightingMan.pdf

The Vicksburg Post Office

2009-03-11T16:17:00.005-05:00

If you've visited the main post office on Pemberton Boulevard lately, you're probably acquainted with just how frustrating an experience it can be. Besides the hassel of fighting traffic on one of the busiest streets in Vicksburg, you are usually greeted inside with a long line and a long wait before finally reaching one of the clerks - and there are many times only two clerks available. People are angry about it. If you doubt that fact, talk to your neighbor in line the next time you visit the facility.

There is no doubt that closure of the downtown post office has aggravated the situation and resulted in lost manhours, increased air pollution and increased travel expense for those who once used the downtown office.

Questions raised include these: Why did the postal system close the downtown facility, and why haven't they been able to coax a downtown business into providing a contract site? Are they still actively seeking such a facility? Was any analysis made to determine the benefits versus the disadvantages of the downtown closure? Are there plans to improve customer service at the Pemberton facility? Are there plans to add other postal facilities in Vicksburg/Warren County?

Vicksburg: A Two-Airport City

2009-03-08T10:45:00.006-05:00

With big ideas for its expansion, the City of Vicksburg recently announced a $23.5 million long-range plan for Vicksburg Municipal Airport (VMA). Anticipated are addition of an 8,000-foot runway capable of handling commercial air traffic, corporate hangers, an aviation industrial park, air cargo capabilities, and a $60 million security technology testing facility. The City has already made VMA an official department in its organization, and hired ex-casino executive Curt Fulmer at a salary of $60,000 to run it. In conjunction with the effort, a new fire station and a new T-hangar building are planned, extensive renovations to the airport terminal building are underway, and a new river port west of the airport is being studied. Thus far, the City has apparently spent about $50,000 on development of the plan, $262,000 for purchase of additional land for the runway, and some several thousands on renovations to the terminal building, plus whatever in-house time and material has been expended.

Fire station and terminal building, VMA

The City is also supporting the Vicksburg- Tallulah Regional Airport (VTR) near Mound, Louisiana. It's one-fourth ownership is costing taxpayers approximately $3,000 per month in operating expenses, though millions, mostly federal funds, have been spent on constuction of the facility.

Terminal building and associated structures, VMA

Though the City has moved forward with plans and expenditures for VMA, several considerations have not been addressed. For example, though VMA is beneficial to some business interests, such as LeTourneau Technologies, Cappert Manufactured Housing, and the Army Corps of Engineers, of what benefit is VMA and its improvements to the people who are paying for it - the Average Joe taxpayers of Vicksburg and Warren County? What will become of the city's interests in VTR once VMA is actively supporting all of Vicksburg's airport needs? In this time of economic uncertainy, should a reduction in the financial load on the citizens, i.e., reduced taxes and budgetary constraints, take precedence over huge new expenditures?

Hangar, VMA

Entergy - Vicksburg's source for electricity

2009-03-01T09:19:00.002-06:00

From Entergy's website:

"Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $13 billion and approximately 14,300 employees."

Entergy owns and operates two large power plants near Vicksburg, the Baxter Wilson plant in Warren County, and the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Claiborne County, each with a capacity of approximately 1,300 megawatts.

Though Entergy has reliably supplied electricity to Vicksburg and Warren County for years, Mississippi State Attorney General Jim Hood has filed suit against the company, claiming that Entergy has been overcharging Mississippi customers. A similar suit in Louisiana forced Entergy to return some seventy million dollars to customers in that state.

The Vicksburg Housing Authority

2009-02-26T10:49:00.003-06:00

Director of the Vicksburg Housing Authority, Jim Stirgis, and Vicksburg Chief of Police Tommy Moffett, are at odds with one another other the arrest of VHA maintenance supervisor Charles Jones for allegedly possessing two point two pounds of cocaine delivered through the mail to the VHA Administrative Office. Moffett blames lack of supervision by Stirgis and the VHA Board of Commissioners for allowing Jones to buy and sell the drugs, and apparently purchase with VHA funds tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise and vehicles for his own use.

In a surprise move February 24, Mayor Laurence Leyens and Aldermen Michael Mayfield appointed four new commissioners to the VHA Board. They replaced three existing "holdover" commissioners and filled one vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Charles Abraham.

Dane Davenport trial

2009-02-10T19:33:00.001-06:00

Following a mistrial in Warren County last October, Dane Davenport once again faced a jury in Starkville, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, where additional accusers took the stand. Davenport was found not guilty, but still faces trial in Warren County on civil charges.

Vicksburg's natural gas rates

2009-02-08T19:50:00.006-06:00

It is very difficult to compare natural gas rates across the country, probably because the various energy companies want it that way, but with a quick a search on the Internet I discovered that companies in Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, and Alaska are charging their residential customers from 10 (ten) to 13 (thirteen) dollars per mcf. At the present time, the City of Vicksburg charges its citizens north of 16 (sixteen) dollars per mcf (including their "adjustment"), some 25% to 60% more than these states, states who probably have higher pipeline transportation costs than Mississippi.

The methods used by the City in buying natural gas and setting its price have not (to my knowledge) been publicly divulged. A bit of transparency would be refreshing. Just as reassuring would be confirmation from the City that any dollars collected in excess of the cost of natural gas are returned to the customers, and not diverted to other uses.

The spot price for wholesale natural gas is at present about 4.5 (four point five) dollars per mcf, near the lowest price on record this century. This chart says it all:

Why are Vicksburg's natural gas rates so high, when wholesale prices have dropped through the floor? Are excess dollars collected on gas bills being returned to the customers, or is the City using the profit for their pet project of the month? Are city officials hiding anything? Can we trust them to tell us the truth?

Vicksburg's next mayor

2009-01-24T09:32:00.010-06:00

March 8, 2009

With the addition of Tommy Wright, there are now five candidates for mayor of the City of Vicksburg:

Incumbent Mayor Laurence Leyens http://web.vicksburg.org/Vicksburg/Default.aspx?tabid=107

Attorney Paul Winfield http://winfieldforvicksburg.com/

Former Alderwoman and Realtor Gertrude Young http://www.electgertrude.us/

Contractor and President of the local chapter of the NAACP John Shorter, and Tommy Wright, a small business owner. No photos or websites are available for Shorter or Wright at this time.

The primary election is May 5, runoff elections May 19, and the general election June 2.