USM gets $20 million in new bond bill for nursing school.

The University of Southern Mississippi Seal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mississippi lawmakers failed to pass any kind of bond bill in 2012, much to the dismay of numerous state entities including the state’s university system.

This year was a different story, and it turned out to be a boon for the University of Southern Mississippi. A $200 million bond bill passed in early April, included the full $20 million needed for Southern Miss to construct its College of Nursing building.

Sen. John Polk, R-Hattiesburg, said it’s very unusual for a building project of this size to receive its entire funding request in one swoop, but in this case it was well deserved.

“It was a no-brainer that we were able to do for the university something that was much, much needed,” Polk said.

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USM seeks $10M from Legislature for building | Hattiesburg American | hattiesburgamerican.com

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For the second year in a row, University of Southern Mississippi officials are hoping for a big funding boost from the Legislature for a new School of Nursing building.

And while legislators denied last year’s $15 million request, College of Health Dean Michael Forster said he believes this year’s $10 million request is more feasible now that the College of Business has received its needed funds.

“Last year, we would have loved to get $15 million for the nursing building, but our (the university’s) top funding priority was a final round of funding for the business building, not nursing,” said Forster. “This round, however, the nursing project is indeed the university’s top priority.”

Estimated to cost just under $30 million overall, the nursing project is also in the silent phase of a private fund-raising campaign designed to raise $8 million.

Forster said the campaign expects to go public in January with more than $4 million in private funds raised by that time.

School officials hope that the three-story, 75,000-square-foot structure will ease the space issues confronting the current 40,000-square-foot building on the Hattiesburg campus.

Within the last 10 years, the school has seen its enrollment double from admitting 80 new students annually to around 180.

via USM seeks $10M from Legislature for building | Hattiesburg American | hattiesburgamerican.com.

Toby Barker Endorsed by NFIB in HD 102

HATTIESBURG, October 27, 2011 – State Representative Toby Barker earned the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business, a leading business organization for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The NFIB supports candidates who consistently support the cause of small business owners and entrepreneurs around Mississippi.

“Toby Barker understands the challenges facing Mississippi’s small, family businesses in their fight to survive and grow, and is the clear choice in House District 102 to sustain these job creators and community givers,” said Ron Aldridge, state director of NFIB/Mississippi in an NFIB release.

“We believe Toby Barker will continue to take a fiscally responsible approach to managing state government, oppose excessive mandates, taxes and spending, and support legislation that helps our small businesses grow and create jobs and put the state back on the pathway to success that benefits us all.”

“I’m honored to have earned the endorsement of such an important organization as the NFIB,” said State Representative Toby Barker, who will be on the ballot for re-election on November 8th. “I believe entrepreneurs are the backbone of any community in Mississippi, especially one like Hattiesburg. I look forward to continuing to champion their cause in the Mississippi Legislature.”

With this endorsement, the NFIB joins a host of other economic development organizations in their support for Barker’s re-election bid. The Mississippi Manufacturers Association, Mississippi Homebuilders Association and the Mississippi Realtors Association endorsed Barker prior to the August 2nd primary.

Toby Barker is the current state representative for House District 102 and will be on the ballot for re-election on November 8th.

via Toby Barker :: Official Campaign Release.

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Chaney faces 2 challengers in re-election bid for Miss. insurance commissioner

Louis Fondren, a Democrat from Gautier, and Barbara Dale Washer, the Reform Party candidate from Hattiesburg, seek to dislodge incumbent Mike Chaney as Mississippi insurance commissioner.

Chaney, 67, a Republican from Vicksburg, served in the State Legislature before being elected commissioner in 2007.

He says his accomplishments on the job are good reasons to keep him for another four years. His opponents say more can be done to keep insurance rates low enough.

Chaney counts among his achievements digitizing the department’s records, updating the agency’s website, recruiting 140 new insurance companies to the state, completing a nationally recognized $1 million hurricane wind mitigation study, helping create a $20 million grant-based mitigation program for Gulf Coast homeowners and giving back policyholders more than $11 million.

He also said under his leadership, the Insurance Department has recovered nearly $154 million related to jailed financial swindler Martin Frankel.

The insurance commissioner serves as state fire marshal, and in that capacity Chaney said his office has helped distribute more than 80,000 smoke alarms across the state and has become a national leader in arson arrests and convictions.

In addition, Chaney said much of his time is spent interpreting and enforcing a myriad of regulations coming from Washington.

“Keeping up with all that’s coming down is a difficult task,” he said. “Forty percent of our time has been spent on that the past three years. We’ve seen more changes during this time than I’ve seen in 30 years. And there’s more coming.”

Chaney said his focus remains on keeping insurance rates affordable, as well as preparing for health insurance reform.

via Chaney faces 2 challengers in re-election bid for Miss. insurance commissioner | The Republic.

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Sen. Fillingane talks politics with local women at luncheon – WDAM – Channel 7 – Mississippi News, Hattiesburg, Laurel

HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) - Mississippi Senator Joey Fillingane joined the Forrest/Lamar Republican Women’s Club Tuesday to talk politics.

Fillingane spoke to the ladies about Voter Identification, Eminent Domain and the most controversial issue on this years ballot, Initiative 26 the definition of ‘person’.

Which ever way voters lean, Fillingane said it’s important to know exactly what each amendment means.

“I am personally in favor of all three. So, I will be advocating all three but there are people in my district who would disagree with me on one or all three. I still think that people that take an opposite view point from mine need to be educated about what they are actually proposing in these initiatives,” said Fillingane.

via Sen. Fillingane talks politics with local women at luncheon – WDAM – Channel 7 – Mississippi News, Hattiesburg, Laurel.

A rundown of the latest campaign finance reports.

JACKSON, Miss. — Republican Phil Bryant still has the most cash in the open race for Mississippi governor, but Democrat Johnny DuPree says he’s confident he can reach voters through personal appearances and online in the final four weeks of the campaign.

Candidates filed their latest campaign finance reports Monday.

Bryant, the first-term lieutenant governor, has spent nearly $4.2 million in the governor’s race this year, and has $928,670 cash on hand.

DuPree, the third-term mayor of Hattiesburg, has spent $610,830 and has $235,703 on hand.

“We don’t raise a lot of money in our campaigns. Never have,” DuPree said this past week in Jackson. “I like what we’re doing. I like going and talking to people. I like listening to people and their needs and the things that they’re interested in. That’s what gets buy-in.”

The Bryant campaign is having a fundraiser Thursday night in Jackson, with suggested donations of $1,000 to $25,000. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour are scheduled to appear at the event. Barbour is limited to two terms and couldn’t run again this year. McDonnell is chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

“Phil Bryant’s campaign for governor continues to build momentum as we head toward the Nov. 8 election, thanks to the support of thousands of Mississippians,” campaign spokesman Dan Turner said in a written statement Monday.

Other finance reports show:

— In the lieutenant governor’s race, Republican Tate Reeves of Flowood has spent just over $3 million this year and has $451,586 cash on hand. Reeves is the current state treasurer and he defeated longtime state Sen. Billy Hewes of Gulfport in a hard-fought GOP primary for lieutenant governor. No Democrat is in the race. The Reform Party’s Tracella Lou O’Hara Hill of Hattiesburg has spent $200 and has no cash on hand.

— In the attorney general’s race, two-term Democratic incumbent Jim Hood of Brandon has spent $520,723 and has $848,316 in his campaign fund. His Republican challenger, former state Public Safety Commissioner Steve Simpson of Gulfport, has spent $196,749 and has $212,438 cash on hand.

— In the open race for treasurer, Republican Lynn Fitch of Madison, who’s on leave as director of the state Personnel Board, has spent $470,512 and is holding $154,389. Democrat Connie Moran, the second-term mayor of Ocean Springs, has spent $64,230 and has $2,300 on hand. The Reform Party’s Shawn O’Hara of Hattiesburg has spent $200 and has no cash on hand.

— In the open race for agriculture commissioner, Democrat Joel Gill, the mayor of Pickens, has raised $19,453 and has $17,168 on hand. The Republican nominee, state Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Brookhaven, spent $193,751 and has $63,379 in cash on hand. The Reform Party’s Cathy L. Toole of Biloxi has spent $200 and has no cash on hand.

— In the state auditor’s race, first-term Republican incumbent Stacey Pickering of Laurel has spent $130,951 and is holding $129,566. The Reform Party’s Ashley Norwood of Canton has spent $200 and has no cash on hand.

— In the secretary of state’s race, first-term incumbent Delbert Hosemann of Jackson has spent $557,473 and has $471,580 cash on hand. Hosemann defeated Gulfport City Councilman Ricky Dombrowski in the GOP primary and is unopposed in November.

— In the insurance commissioner’s race, first-term incumbent Mike Chaney of Vicksburg has spent $106,302 and has $402,824 cash on hand. A finance report for Democrat Louis Fondren of Pascagoula was not immediately available. The Reform Party’s Barbara Dale Washer of Hattiesburg has raised $200 and has no cash on hand.

via Bryant leads DuPree in Miss. gov race fundraising; Hood ahead of Simpson in atty gen’l contest | The Republic.

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Barker, Cook vie for rep post

Democrat David Cook has run in political circles for years, working for such former Mississippi officeholders as Sonny Montgomery, Ray Mabus, Brad Dye and Dick Molpus.

Republican Toby Barker has been within the state’s inner circle the past four years, serving in the state House of Representatives.

The two will meet Nov. 8 in the general election with the District 102 House seat up for grabs. The district falls within Forrest and Lamar counties, with Hattiesburg at the heart.

Barker, director of the Southern Mississippi Business Assistance Center, said he has been “walking my district, five to six days a week since April,” spreading his pro-Hattiesburg and fiscally-responsible philosophy to his constituents.

“That’s the message that we’re trying to get out there, pushing an agenda that makes Hattiesburg strong,” said Barker, who defeated Ric McCluskey in the Republican primary in August.

That agenda features a three-pronged plan: bolstering economic recruitment and entrepreneurship; protecting the interests of hospitals, doctors and nurses; and supporting education, particularly the area’s senior and junior colleges.

“Almost the entire district is within the city,” Barker said, “and those, I believe, are common themes wherever you go.”

Cook, who has worked as a medical administrator and consultant for the past 15 years, was a pre-teen when his grandmother, Evelyn Gandy, ran for office.

He became more actively involved in the political realm through high school and college.

But this will be Cook’s first foray into an actual race.

“I got into this because, as a whole, I believe that (University of Southern Mississippi) had not been receiving adequate representation,” Cook said. “That would be one of my top priorities.”

Cook said his medical background had educated him on the critical need for the state to fully fund Medicaid and he also would push for continued economic development and more funding for public schools.

“I would work to raise teachers’ salaries to the Southeast average so to better attract and keep quality teachers,” Cook said.

Cook, who ran unopposed in the primary, said he is hoping to appeal to voters who “don’t vote the party vote, necessarily, but vote the person.”

via Barker, Cook vie for rep post | Hattiesburg American | hattiesburgamerican.com.

Animal cruelty should be first-time felony

“One act” of cruelty is defined as cruelty to any number of animals as long as the action occurs at “the same time.” If a person was to torture and kill 80 dogs, dump their carcasses somewhere, get reported and subsequently convicted, the charge is one count of cruelty and the penalty is a misdemeanor.

If they are convicted once again, within a five-year period, performing a similar act, they will then be charged with a felony. Keep in mind that if the first act occurs on Jan. 1, 2012, and the second act occurs on Jan. 2, 2017, the person is not charged with a felony, just another misdemeanor.

With a misdemeanor conviction a person is free to work in hospitals, home health, nursing homes, schools, day care centers and other areas where there are vulnerable individuals because there would be no felony conviction.

It is a known fact that the majority of mass murderers, serial killers, school shooters and those who mutilate their victims, have a history of torturing animals.

via Animal cruelty should be first-time felony | Hattiesburg American | hattiesburgamerican.com.

Lamar County Democrat Supervisor wants tax breaks to draw businesses

| Hattiesburg American | www.hattiesburgamerican.com: www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20110908/NEWS0…80321

Lamar County District 2 Supervisor Ben Winston said he would like to see the board of supervisors consider tax breaks as a way of spurring economic development, particularly in conjunction with the South Mississippi Industrial Park near Lumberton.

"One thing that challenges us more in Lamar County than in Forrest County is that Forrest County is more (accepting) of tax exemptions," Winston said Wednesday morning during a meeting with the Hattiesburg American editorial board. "My thoughts on this, especially with the economics the way they are, is that if you fish with no bait, you’re not going to catch much, and if you do catch anything, it’s not going to have much value to it.

"Now, other people are fishing with a lot more bait, trying to catch businesses to locate in their areas."

Winston, a Democrat, is running against Republican challenger Warren Byrd in the Nov. 8 general election.

The incumbent is wrapping up his first term representing a swath of the county that swings east from central south Lamar over to a tapering strip that runs north up the eastern edge and into the Hattiesburg city limits.

#Hattiesburg #Supervisor #Ben #Winston #Lamar #County #tax #incentives #economic #development #Forrest #County #Warren #Byrd

Taylor staffer joins DuPree campaign

| www.gulflive.com: blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2011/09/p….html

Familiar face joins DuPree campaign

Ana Maria Rosato, a Bay St. Louis native known to most folks for her work as Congressman Gene Taylor’s communications director, has joined Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree’s gubernatorial campaign as communications director.

"I am so excited about Mayor DuPree’s campaign," Rosato said. "Through Mayor DuPree’s vision, expertise and leadership, Hattiesburg has become what we want the entire state of Mississippi to be: wonderfully vibrant, alive and growing!" Rosato is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science.

#Mississippi #Johnny #Dupree #Gene #Taylor #Gulf #Coast #Hattiesburg #USM #Governor #Democrats