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HHS Denies Mississippi's Plan for Exchange
Commissioner Mike Chaney said he feels the Obama administration has betrayed him for denying the state's application.
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Jim Barksdale to Head MDA
Verbatim Statement from the Phil Bryant Transition team:
Governor-elect Phil Bryant appointed Jim Barksdale Interim Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority at a 2 p.m. press conference on Jan. 4 in Jackson. Barksdale, former President and CEO …
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Report: Close 1 Ag School, Convert 1 and Keep 1
One of Mississippi's independent agricultural high schools would be closed under a recommendation by the state Board of Education, while another could see its mission reworked or be given to …
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Taggart Intends 'Crusade' Against Drugs as Attorney General
Republican Andy Taggart of Madison says he's running for Mississippi attorney general to wage a "crusade" against illegal drugs.
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Justice Ann H. Lamar
Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Ann H. Lamar of Senatobia received the Chief Justice Award on July 16 during the Mississippi Bar Convention in Destin, Fla.
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Stop the Execution of Michelle Byrom
Michelle Byrom is clearly not guilty of the crime for which the state plans to execute her next week.
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State Rep. Esther Harrison, D-Columbus, Dies at Age 69
Mississippi state Rep. Esther Harrison, D-Columbus, is being remembered as someone who worked for her constituents without seeking the spotlight for herself.
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DOR Not Coming to Downtown Jackson
By R.L. NaveThe Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration, which oversees the operation of state buildings, has recommended the former Worldcom Building in Clinton as the permanent home for the Department of Revenue, now housed in what's practically a shed, also in Clinton.
Downtown Jackson had been a front-runner for agency HQ, especially after a 2011 report commissioned by then-Gov. Haley Barbour said buying the Landmark Building would be the cheapest option for our cash-strapped state.
The issue has since become politically charged with Speaker Philip Gunn wanting to keep the agency close to his Clinton district.
DFA explains its rational in the following verbatim news release:
MS Department of Finance & Administration Recommends New Location for the MS Department of Revenue
Today, the MS Department of Finance & Administration has determined that, on the basis of receiving the highest evaluation score, the Mississippi Department of Revenue should execute a 20 year lease agreement with Duckworth Realty for the relocation of its offices to the South Pointe Building (the former Worldcom Building) in Clinton, MS. The initial annual cost to the State would be $2,878,000 resulting in a total cost of $41,428,492 (net present value) for the term of the lease agreement. This offer represented the lowest total cost to the State. The proposal submitted by Duckworth for the South Pointe Building includes 187,511 square feet of office space, 600 parking spaces, tenant improvements, security and janitorial services. The lease term would begin July 1, 2014.
Kevin J. Upchurch, Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Finance & Administration, stated “We are pleased to have a more permanent solution to the issue of housing the MS Department of Revenue. The selection process was thorough and comprehensive. The main objectives of this process were the cost to the taxpayers, ease of access for citizens, and securing a more permanent, functional facility for MDOR employees. I am satisfied that this location meets all of those objectives.”
On November 1, 2012, DFA issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to obtain new offices for the Mississippi Department of Revenue (MDOR) via a long term lease. A team consisting of three DFA employees and two MDOR employees was assembled to evaluate all proposals based on pre-defined calculations and scoring criteria. The State received six proposals and three were selected for further review. The three finalists were Hertz Investment Group, LLC (The Landmark Building), Ergon (Diversified Technologies Building), and Duckworth Realty (South Pointe Building).
DFA contracted with Allred Architectural Group, P.A. of Ocean Springs, MS to perform test fit analysis, building assessments, and environmental assessments of the three proposed buildings. This review was designed to determine each building’s ability to meet the needs of the MDOR. The review was also designed to identify any deficiencies within the buildings. Based on the results of these analyses, each finalist was asked to the submit a Best and Final Offer in which they were to explain how any noted deficiencies would be addressed, as well as, make any final …
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Scott Sisters To Be Released Today
Also see: Let My Daughters Go
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Destruction and Hot Tempers
"They said I needed to get out, and that's what I did," said Tony Porter, who says he owned a photo and camera repair shop not too far off the …
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Haley Barbour Wins Second Term
(Post by reader promoted from forums.)
The Associated Press is reporting that Haley Barbour has won a second term as governor. This in a state that is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Many believe Haley is …
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Barbour Still ‘No' on Federal Funds
Gov. Haley Barbour reportedly renewed his criticism of the Obama administration's economic bailout package during the National Governors Association winter meeting in Washington, D.C. this past weekend.
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She's Got A New Attitude
In a surprising move last week, Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck stepped away from her usual role as the governor's mouthpiece to come out in favor of a cigarette tax.
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Bill Banning Red-Light Cameras Signed into Law
Among the bills signed into law by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour on Friday is House Bill 1568, which bans the use of cameras to catch motorists running red lights.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Stop Glamorizing the Cruelty of Racist Ancestors
"The Legislature put up this flag as a stated symbol of white supremacy in 1894 as all those hideous soldier statues were popping up with their sappy remembrances, and it …
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Governor, Fix Medicaid Permanently
Barbour revealed this week that "a junior staff person" working for the state uncovered a budget correction that allotted the state a one-time payment of $92 million from the federal …
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[City Buzz] No. 22 February 14 - 21
Dennis Grant, Probation Services Company Offender Services Coordinator said in a letter to Mayor Melton that he has not received proof of Melton's recent surgery in Texas. Melton's bond for …
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Personhood: Symbol or Substance?
Although state Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, says it's unlikely the Mississippi Legislature will take up the debate over personhood this year, efforts by state lawmakers in Mississippi and elsewhere in …
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GOP Has Tough Choices on Voting Rights Act
When the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights act last week, it handed Republicans tough questions with no easy answers over how, and where, to attract voters even GOP …