Doctor! Doctor! Give me a Break...

Up Clarksdale way...

A county supervisor in the Mississippi Delta thought he was meeting two prostitutes from SugarDaddyForMe.com when he pulled into the Shady Nook truck stop, but instead was arrested by the FBI, federal agents said in court documents.

Coahoma County Supervisor and Clarksdale cardiologist Dr. Roger Weiner was charged with the federal crime of soliciting prostitution across state lines Sunday and arraigned Monday.

A federal investigation began in December when Weiner’s former colleague gave FBI agent Justin Newsome the doctor’s ‘‘electronic communications’’ from a work computer the two shared, according to a seven-page affidavit filed Monday in federal court.

The agent began monitoring SugarDaddyForMe.com, which he described as an online chat room for wealthy ‘‘Sugardaddies’’ to meet ‘‘Sugarbabies’’ for ‘‘companionship and entertainment.’’ Newsome said in court documents he found Weiner’s ‘‘attempts to solicit sexual acts and companionship from female members in exchange for gifts and monetary payment.’’

The information was used to obtain a search warrant to view Weiner’s e-mails.Weiner did not immediately respond to messages left Tuesday on his cell phone and at his office, the Weiner Heart and Cardiovascular Institute. Weiner’s lawyer, Kevin Hovan, said the allegations will be investigated. He declined further comment.

The affidavit describes the investigation in salacious detail, alleging that Weiner promised to pay women hundreds of dollars per sexual tryst. An FBI agent posing as a prostitute began communication with Weiner on the Web site in January, according to the affidavit, under the screen name ‘‘wild—ginger.’’ Weiner gave the agent his e-mail address to set up a meeting.

At one point, the agent wrote that ‘‘you can expect to be treated like a king but this princess can only meet if she knows she is getting at least $500.’’

‘‘500 is no problem,’’ Weiner responded, according to the affidavit. ‘‘If you are truly ’wild’ and good looking your potential for spoiling is enormous.’’

Then on May 11, another undercover officer who began chatting with Weiner agreed to set up a ‘‘threesome’’ with Weiner and another supposed prostitute, court records state.

Authorities say Weiner called a few days later and offered to pay the women $400 each. But when Weiner pulled into the truck stop Sunday morning in his black BMW coupe, he was arrested. Authorities said he was carrying nearly $1,100 in cash.

He was arraigned in federal court in Greenville on Monday and released on $20,000 bond. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday in U.S. District Court in Greenville.

Weiner came to Mississippi from Philadelphia and opened his medical practice in the late 1990s, according to the clinic’s Web site. He was elected supervisor in 2007.

I suppose that the "good" news is... this didn't happen in Greenville! It is difficult to imagine that the same person in whom we trust our cardiovascular health, frequents the Shady Nook truck stop in his spare time. What happened to golf?

To further add insult to injury, we elected this sleazy surgeon as Supervisor which leads one to wonder whether some of his political cronies may have also had a finger in this pie... (sorry).

The sad news is that this article made national news, which will help perpetuate the stereotypical view of Mississippians as uncultured reprobates.

At any rate, this entire saga is prime fodder for a book and a mini-series... perhaps: "Surgeons and Sugarbabies", or simply, "Shady Nooky". The final chapter of this Delta novel will star an equally sleazy Southern lawyer who successfully defends the good doctor by quoting Johnny Cochran's now infamous line... "If it don't fit, you must acquit!"

Forthright

Who's Watching the Kids?

GREENVILLE - A four-day work week was unanimously adopted at Tuesday's Greenville School District Board of Trustees meeting. According to interim school Superintendent Joyce McNair, the four-day week will begin June 1. The move affects 240-day employees, such as principals, secretaries and custodians. Recently, the School Board adopted a reduction of force policy.

A four day work week is a great concept to save money... but in a public school? Do you think that the kids may figure out that when the principal is away, it might be easier to "play"? Secretaries generally run a school office, so who is going to deal with all of those issues? As for custodians, they are too few in number already... duh?

Sure, public schools are financially challenged, but these "reductions in force" will only denigrate the entire system. Examples: A bomb threat is called into your child's school... who is in charge if the principal is "off" that day? Who deals with the irate parents who storm in daily to speak to the person in charge? Who cleans the restrooms on a daily basis to prevent infectious waste from spreading disease and illness?

My view is that these "cuts" are ill-conceived and will ultimately cost the districts more money in "ancillary costs". Educating our children is not a part-time job... especially in the Delta.

Forthright

Location, location, location!

Greenville Real Estate agent said...

Having personal family photos out, during a showing, makes people uncomfortable to feel that they are invading a family's privacy. It shows "ownership" and discourages that customer imagining their family or themselves in that home. Get it out of there, store it.

As for staging, that is the best and most attractive placement of furniture, decor and accessories to play up the best points of the home. So many times, people accumulate so much "stuff" that the rooms in the house are overwhelmed with clutter or too large furniture. In the end, a buyer only sees that and not the rooms. The rooms may be average or above average in size, but who can see it?? This applies to all the rooms, bathroom and kitchen. Too many chachkis or decorative items can block the eye of the buyer. Clean out closets, cabinets, etc. to show that spaciousness.

Minimal is highly encouraged in staging. Spaciousness is the goal sought for the buyer to see, airy, light, CLEAN rooms, it is critical.

Get the floors in shape, take up the ugly carpet or replace it, if the underfloor is in good shape, clean it, repair or replace with more updated products for flooring. Buy area rugs! In the front and back yard, clean up is key! Rake, keep mowed, weed and trim up! Put the toys up, get rid of the yard art and any other clutter. Plant some new flowers or bushes, landscape and trim back bushes away from the windows and house, put down stepping stones to designated outdoor relaxing areas. Clean up the patios and porches. Have none? Set up an outside garden or yard entertainment area, to show the joy of outdoor living.

Fountains are so popular today and don't have to be expensive to be enjoyed. The water sounds encourage relaxation and will be pleasing to the buyer.Get rid of junk, old lawnmowers, old useless bikes, and trikes, "crapola". Clean out the garage or carport, so the buyer can see that there is, indeed, room for two vehicles.Curb appeal is critical to that first impression of the buyer. If it looks bad on the outside, they will never call to see the inside.

Paint, paint, paint! Do a professional job or hire one! Paint inside and outside, with attractive, neutral colors that anyone would accept. No outlandish colors on the inside or outside, not everyone wants a pink house, walls of installed mirrors or purple bedrooms.

How about the roof? Does it need to be replaced? Most homeowners insurance will cover the delta homes for years of past hail damage, windstorms and winds of hurricanes. All you have to pay is the deductible and claim roof damage. YOUR POLICY WILL NOT BE CANCELLED for making a roof claim! That is what you are paying your premiums for! Call your Ins. agent or if in doubt, call a roofer to see if a new roof is required, if not, ask him for a statement of roof condition for the potential buyer. One less worry for a buyer!

Defunk any home odors from pets and children. Get rid of any mold or mildew, insects, rodents, inside and outside.Burn candles during showings to be sure their are enticing aromas and not horrid smells. Take out the garbage before a showing!! Just because YOU don't smell it, does not mean it does not smell! Be sure the temperature in the home is comfortable. If not, no buyer will hang around to take in the house sweltering or freezing! (Maintenance is important too! If it makes noises or is not working properly, get it fixed or replaced!)

Most of all of this is a matter of elbow grease, common sense and a few dollars. Most can be done by the seller and family, but if you need help, there are decorators in town, part time and full time, who can help you pull it all together to look its best. It is worth the investment of a few hours of their time for consultation advice or decorating for you, that will pay off in a big way to make that sale happen at the end! If you can not afford it, find a friend who has a great knack for home decor to help you see what you no longer see.

By the way, FYI, trailers are very hard to find financing for through the banks, nearly impossible, due to depreciation. Be prepared, make the price right to attract cash buyers or see if financing it for the buyer is an option.

Good luck!

Great advice for selling a house in a competitive market. The one tip that this local realtor left out is... "Location, location, location!"

Unfortunately, Greenville has few prime locations left. Even residents of stable neighborhoods like Gamwyn Park are "getting out" due to crime and plummeting home values. Look what has happened to Washington Avenue and Main Street. Sure, there are some real bargains on the market right now, but who wants to buy a house whose value will only depreciate over time?

A home is generally the largest purchase that we make and most people expect to be able to recoup their initial investment, plus improvements, over time. This is where the "location" piece of the puzzle becomes important!

For people to purchase homes, they must have jobs. For jobs to exist, there has to be a skilled workforce. To obtain a skilled workforce, you have to have quality "public" education. Greenville has none of these, which is why students who pursue "higher education" never return to Greenville.

Greenville has become a welfare community. "Entitlement" is the most prevalent source of income for most of our residents and this "life-style" is being passed on to subsequent generations at an alarming rate. Until this cycle is broken, Greenville will continue to decline.

To my "rose-colored" glasses fans, I apologize for my candor and "negativity", but these are the realities of Greenville's evolution. If you want "smoke and mirrors", I suggest you attend the next city council meeting.

Forthright

Greenville Pride!

GREENVILLE DDT: More than 40 potential bidders and subcontractors attended a pre-bid conference for the Washington County regional jail Thursday at the Washington County Courthouse.

The pre-bid conference with architects and members of the Board of Supervisors gave bidders a chance to meet while obtaining information about seven bid packages covering different aspects of construction.


The turnout pleased and surprised county officials.“I wasn't expecting as many people as we had to come out,” said Washington County Board of Supervisors President Paul Watson Jr. “It shows that there are a lot of people out there very interested in this project.”

The Bids are scheduled to be opened during the regular Board of Supervisors meeting on May 18. The new prison, a 500-inmate facility, will house 300 state prisoners and 90 from the city.

The remainder will be county inmates. Plans call for the facility to be built on five acres of land on King-Stokes Road, just off U.S. 82.

Now here's a project of which we should all be proud! What better place to build a prison than in Greenville? Water parks, restaurants, recreation facilities... forget about 'em... what WE need is a prison!

A prison will help keep Delta families (gangs) together. When these felons check out, they will return to their native streets and hoods, having perfected their "trades" in the big house. As prisoners, they will have access to free education and physical fitness, so when they emerge, they will be better educated and more physically fit "felons".

Employers will be eager to hire these reformed cons for their newly learned skills and trades, so the new prison is just a "win-win" for everyone! RIGHT?

Forthright

P.S. I hear the city council is considering installing speed bumps on the newly paved Washington Avenue, to deter its latest use as a motorcycle drag strip. Wow, another Epiphany of logic... transforming concave pot-holes into convex "bumps". Gotta love 'em!

Praise for ER Staff!

Appreciative patient said...

I want to say a positive for the DRMC ER STAFF. I recently had a severe allergic reaction to medication with a BP of 70/40. I was obviously very ill and covered in hives and splotches. I had to be ambulanced from the clinic to the DRMC.

The Ambulance staff were very kind and alert to my needs before, during and at the end of my transportation across town. Once arriving, the DRMC staff immediately took action to admit me and determine the cause of the reaction. Every one was attentive, courteous and professional. When questioned they answered an explanation or offered it, before the question occurred.

Knowing how low my BP was, I was scared to death and doing a lot of mental praying to God from the ride in the ambulance to arrival at DRMC. Within a short time, the physician, Hilton O'Neal and staff had my symptoms back under control. I had arrived around 4:30/5:00 PM and was treated and released in much better shape by 6:30PM.

At the end of the evening, I was splotch free and feeling sooo much better!!! I was truly relieved and impressed by everyone taking care of me. Thanks to all on the ER day staff on April 14th, 2009!!

It is great to hear a positive note about DRMC. The truth is that DRMC has some excellent doctors and nurses who are very talented and dedicated to their jobs. Positive ER experiences are rarely shared... because good service is what we expect from all health care providers.

Almost all of the criticism directed toward DRMC seems to be centered around its administration and their seemingly wasteful expenditures and unappreciative attitude toward staff.

It is hard for doctors and nurses to take pride in their jobs if they are not "appreciated" by the leadership of the hospital. Sure, both physicians and nurses make very good salaries, but if you dread going to work every day because of the bureaucratic BS from above, you can not perform your job effectively.

Health care dollars need to be spent "at the bedside" rather than in the "boardroom". If you look at any successful hospital in the country, you will see the "teamwork" starts at the top. When leaders lose sight of the fact that the patient is THE most important person in the hospital, quality care is compromised and the hospital's reputation will eventually suffer. Such is the case at DRMC.

I commend the employees of DRMC for their dedication to patient care in the face of administrative "abandonment". One of the first lessons in medical school is how to differentiate treating the causes of an illness rather than its "symptoms". To blame the many talented clinical staff members at DRMC is to attack the symptoms of a problem... without ever addressing the actual cause.

Forthright

Another Financial Folly?

GREENVILLE - The wait for medical personnel to arrive at an accident scene may have been considerably reduced now that Delta Regional Medical Center has merged with Air Evac Lifeteam.

As a result, the Delta now has emergency air transportation.“This is something that is needed,” said Ray Humphreys, CEO of DRMC. Beginning in July, an Air Evac helicopter will be based at the DRMC Pavilion. The helicopter and its crew will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Humphreys said the hospital sees about 50,000 trauma patients in a year, representing about 10 percent of those seen in the state.

The closest Air Evac helicopter is based in Batesville. The new Greenville facility will reduce reaction time to and from an accident scene.“This is so valuable to Washington County in terms of the lives that it will save,” said Washington County Board of Supervisors Mike Gordon.

Emergency air transportation is not cheap.

According to Bubba Bell, a former Greenville firefighter who will be the program director of the DRMC operation, and DRMC Board of Trustees member Bill Schultz, an average flight is around $15,000.

While no one who needs the helicopter service will be denied, there will be a membership program. For $50 a year, an individual will not have to pay for an Air Evac flight if needed. Membership costs $55 per couple and $60 for a household of three or more. “It's a very smooth flight,” said Schultz, who flew in for Monday's lunchtime press conference. “I wasn't worried at all.”

The concept here is great and could prove to be a life-saving service. However, my concern is not the wait time for transport to DRMC, but the wait time once you arrive at the ER... and the quality of care. Inadequate staffing (both nurses and physicians) remains a major problem at DRMC.

At a cost of $15,000 per flight, it will take 300 "members" to pay for one uninsured, non-member's flight. The majority of patients treated at DRMC are medicaid or "self-pay" (which equates to "no pay"), so this will rapidly become a very expensive venture for our county hospital. Since no one will be refused this service, there is no incentive for the the uninsured or under-insured to pay the very reasonable price of membership.

I am afraid that given our demographics, the membership fee would need to be at least $1,000 per year to offset the massive costs of indigent care that will be provided... and we all know who eventually pays for "indigent care."

Don't get me wrong. In a medical emergency, we are all thankful for every service that can be provided. The issue is cost... and who will eventually pay the price. Is this something that Washington County can afford and is it a prudent expenditure in this time of national economic crisis. Medicaid is already operating in the red and hospitals are facing additional taxes to support these programs for the indigent.

As much as we dislike thinking of hospitals as "businesses", they are, and the leaders have to be responsible with the public funds which support them. Once again, my advice to DRMC is to focus on their quality of basic acute patient care and quit having delusions of becoming a "TV Emergency Room."

If I were ever a member of the DRMC "flight club" for $50 a year, I would tip the pilot $1,000 to just take me to Memphis!

Forthright

A Head with a Heart

The following is an article taken from the Boston Globe in March of 2009. The author is Kevin Cullen and it demonstrates that even in an economic crisis, the "whole" is more than simply the sum of its parts. No ones job in unimportant and that caring can extend beyond one's inner circle. Several Scoop readers suggested that Paul Levy's innovative thinking would be a great model for DRMC.

It was the kind of meeting that is taking place in restaurant kitchens, small offices, retail storerooms, and large auditoriums all over this city, all over this state, all over this country.

Paul Levy, the guy who runs Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, was standing in Sherman Auditorium the other day, before some of the very people to whom he might soon be sending pink slips.

In the days before the meeting, Levy had been walking around the hospital, noticing little things.

He stood at the nurses' stations, watching the transporters, the people who push the patients around in wheelchairs. He saw them talk to the patients, put them at ease, make them laugh. He saw that the people who push the wheelchairs were practicing medicine.

He noticed the same when he poked his head into the rooms and watched as the people who deliver the food chatted up the patients and their families.

He watched the people who polish the corridors, who strip the sheets, who empty the trash cans, and he realized that a lot of them are immigrants, many of them had second jobs, most of them were just scraping by.

And so Paul Levy had all this bouncing around his brain the other day when he stood in Sherman Auditorium.

He looked out into a sea of people and recognized faces: technicians, secretaries, administrators, therapists, nurses, the people who are the heart and soul of any hospital. People who knew that Beth Israel had hired about a quarter of its 8,000 staff over the last six years and that the chances that they could all keep their jobs and benefits in an economy in free fall ranged between slim and none.

"I want to run an idea by you that I think is important, and I'd like to get your reaction to it," Levy began. "I'd like to do what we can to protect the lower-wage earners - the transporters, the housekeepers, the food service people. A lot of these people work really hard, and I don't want to put an additional burden on them.

"Now, if we protect these workers, it means the rest of us will have to make a bigger sacrifice," he continued. "It means that others will have to give up more of their salary or benefits."

He had barely gotten the words out of his mouth when Sherman Auditorium erupted in applause. Thunderous, heartfelt, sustained applause.

Paul Levy stood there and felt the sheer power of it all rush over him, like a wave. His eyes welled and his throat tightened so much that he didn't think he could go on. When the applause subsided, he did go on, telling the workers at Beth Israel, the people who make a hospital go, that he wanted their ideas.

The lump had barely left his throat when Paul Levy started getting e-mails.

The consensus was that the workers don't want anyone to get laid off and are willing to give up pay and benefits to make sure no one does. A nurse said her floor voted unanimously to forgo a 3 percent raise. A guy in finance who got laid off from his last job at a hospital in Rhode Island suggested working one less day a week. Another nurse said she was willing to give up some vacation and sick time. A respiratory therapist suggested eliminating bonuses.

"I'm getting about a hundred messages per hour," Levy said yesterday, shaking his head.

Paul Levy is onto something. People are worried about the next paycheck, because they're only a few paychecks away from not being able to pay the mortgage or the rent.

But a lot of them realize that everybody's in the same boat and that their boat doesn't rise because someone else's sinks.

Paul Levy is trying something revolutionary, radical, maybe even impossible: He is trying to convince the people who work for him that the E in CEO can sometimes stand for empathy.

DDT Editorial:

We appreciate the restraint that four Greenville City Council members exhibited last week when they decided to forgo spending the city's money on travel to the Mississippi Municipal League's annual conference in Biloxi in June.

Three will not attend; Ward 1 Councilman Kenny Gines, Ward 3 Councilman Lee Owen, and Ward 5 Councilwoman Ann Hollowell. Ward 2 Councilman Carl McGee will travel at his own expense, although not a huge expense as he explained later.

He has access to housing accommodations there.“There's no halo over my head,” he quipped.

Ward 4 Councilwoman Betty Watkins will attend, but because of her retirement status she already saves the city $6,000 per year, as she explained during the council meeting at which the trip was discussed.

Ward 2 Councilman Errick Simmons was absent from the meeting and his name remained on the list of those attending. Mayor Heather McTeer Hudson also will attend and urged the others to do the same, but they were not swayed.

In this time of tightening budgets, up and down sales tax revenue returns, and economic hardships, it's good to know that our City Council representatives are thinking ahead to a time when they may have to ask city employees to make sacrifices as well. They are leading by example.

It's not as if MML conferences are without merit. Members of city councils and boards of aldermen from around the state attend this conference each year to network, but more important, to educate elected city officials.“The league represents the collective interests of cities and towns to the state legislature, provides timely information on crucial municipal issues, offers certification and training for elected officials and provides valuable networking opportunities,” according to its Web site at http://www.mmlonline.com/.

We recognize the value of this opportunity, but we also are grateful to those who will save the city several thousands of dollars by not attending this year.

Everyone knows that these "conferences" are part work and part vacation; otherwise they wouldn't be held in resort areas. Can you imagine the statewide attendance if the conference were being held in Greenville, which is far more centrally located than Biloxi?

In private organizations, when they need to cut costs on travel, they send one or two representatives to the conference. In return, they are charged with presenting the information attained to the entire leadership group. Most conferences offer free PowerPoint presentations to facilitate the sharing of education provided. You eliminate hotel, travel and meal costs, but still get the training.

The days of "perk" trips are over. If the city can't afford garbage pick-up twice a week, they shouldn't be spending $7,500 on travel/training when there are more cost effective ways to accomplish the same goal. In an economic crisis, everyone needs to cut back a little. I commend the council-members who declined to "feed at the trough". As for our mayor... drop us a postcard!

Forthright

The "Costs" of Business in Greenville

Anonymous said...

My college-age son and I were watching the local news and heard that the local Pizza Inn, A&W, and Long John Silver's all had closed recently. He commented that it was no wonder, as he had not visited any of those places in all the years he's been independently mobile---they simply did not interest him. I quote: "If people want to have a successful restaurant in Greenville or anywhere else, why don't they simply appeal to the desired demographic?"

There are HUNDREDS of local folks---and thousands beyond our city limits---who crave a nice location for a meal, someplace they don't have to be ashamed to take a date, someplace that is as much a destination as a diner. How hard would it have been to open a McAllister's deli rather than a silly A&W/LJSilver combo. Totally wrong demographic!

If you want your restaurant to survive, then appeal to the group that has the money to spend. We don't want another hot wings trailer or tamale shack. We want a location, a place to spend a pleasant evening with friends.

We don't want another national pizza franchise---we want Lost Dog Pizza! We don't want another Taco Bell---we want Newk's Express or Sweet Pepper's Deli. Pay attention!!!! Heather, Betty Lynn, Ed: get the word out, please. We will THROW money out of the car window as we drive up! Just give us some better options.

The author makes some very good points. We would all like to see some up-scale restaurants in Greenville, but let me ask you this: Would you open a restaurant in Greenville?

The fact is that these franchises cost between $250K to $750K to open, over and above the cost of land and construction. Then you have the problem of labor. There is no labor pool from which to draw in Greenville... only the welfare pool who are perfectly content to milk the system rather than work, but they will take a job for a while, just to become eligible for unemployment. They know the system!

Think about the last time you went through a fast food drive-thru and could barely understand the person speaking. Did they get your order right? Probably not... do they care? NO! They have no work ethic and know they always have welfare to fall back upon if they are fired.

The difference between Greenville and Cleveland is that Cleveland has a large pool of educated college students from which to draw. They are trained in their job as wait-staff and appreciate the chance to make even a meager income on their way to enhancing their lives and education.

Anyone who has been in the restaurant business in Greenville will tell you that the biggest obstacle to making a profit is the employees. Take a day off and your restaurant becomes a free food pantry. What they don't give away to "friends", goes out the back door to their homes. Employee theft is considered just another entitlement of the low paid... another perk of "club membership".

No business can make a profit when you are being robbed on a daily basis... by your own employees! Greenville will never have any of these up-scale eateries because of the ignorant and unethical work-force we have produced. As long as it pays more not to work, than work, we are doomed!

Forthright

Color-Blind America?

GREENVILLE - City Council members are speaking out about their votes last week over whether to approve funds for travel/training requests.

Betty Watkins, Carl McGee and Errick Simmons on Tuesday voted to send Police Chief Charles Patterson, Capt. Andrew Kaho and Lt. Xavier Redmond to Jackson to attend the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Region III conference. The cost is $288.50 each.

Ann Hollowell, Kenny Gines and Lee Owen voted against.

However, the motion passed when Mayor Heather McTeer Hudson broke the tie by voting in favor of approving the travel expenses.** (end of article by Terri Ferguson of the DDT)

I have a problem with our city tax dollars paying to go to ANY Race specific event. I would be more likely to agree a need, if the conference had been for Police Leaders in General and not "Black Only". Same goes for the city paying for the Mayor attending "The Black Mayor's Conference". Our tax dollars should be specifically related to the population in general. If these people want to attend a race specific event, then they should be willing to pay their own way. If Lee Owens requested funds to attend a "White Council conference", can you imagine the roar from those who do the same???

If we are going to get past racism, we need to get at least past the tax dollars paying to support race specific events and groups.

African Americans who continue to differentiate themselves as members of "black" organizations are simply perpetuating the stereotypical views of "separate, but equal". Are there black and white "laws" and are they enforced differently by our police officers?

Do black mayors manage cities differently than white mayors? What are these "members only" secrets that need to be segregated by race?

This "labeling" only perpetuates racism and serves to further divide our communities. However, as for our mayor's approving these "black" travel requests, I am afraid that she would appear a bit hypocritical had she not voted to approve any one's travel requests, given her last year in office.

Continuing education is a good thing which should be supported by community leaders; however, the stink about this issue is the use of the term "black" as somehow being "different". If we are all truly equal, why do we need to differentiate ourselves as black, white or purple?

We will never get beyond racism until all races quit pointing to our differences, rather than our similarities.

Forthright

Patricia Lee: "Not Guilty"

A third trial for former county Tax Collector Patricia Lee ended today in Washington County Circuit Court with a verdict of "not guilty" to all charges. Lee was arrested along with eight former clerks in 2007 after an investigation found employees of the tax collector's office were placing car tag purchasers in cheaper tax districts to provide them a discount. A jury was seated for the trial on Tuesday.

Lee was being prosecuted by the state attorney general's office, which investigated the car tag discount scheme. Her defense attorney is Johnnie Walls. In addition to Lee, eight have been charged as a result of the investigation. Lee's two previous trials have ended in mistrials.

Now who would have predicted this verdict? Eight other employees in your department are participating in this "discount scheme" and you don't know about it?

What can I say? This is just another example of the perks of "club membership".

Forthright

How to Stimulate Greenville... Tell Us!

Heads up - Greenville wish list for stimulus money said...

Copied from web site shown below: Projects in Greenville, Mississippi. Below are the "shovel-ready" projects for which this city submitted in the 2008 U.S. Conference of Mayors report. You can click on a project to read (and add to) its description.

You can also discuss the project and vote on whether you believe it is critical or not. The total cost of all the projects submitted by Greenville is $337,850,000. Copy and paste to go to web site or just click on this link: http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_city/Greenville/MS

Thanks, "Heads up" for the web address. This is a great site for information about how our city funds will be spent, plus you can rate the importance of each project and state why you believe the project is needed or a waste of money! As with the "Scoop", all responses will be anonymous unless you offer your name (which many have done).

Everyone should at least vote on these expenditures. Here's a tip... Click on the up and down arrows in the "vote ratio" column of the page. This will order the project from the least or most important projects. When you click on each project, you can vote "yes" or "no" to its importance and below, you can offer comments as to why you believe as you do.

Here's a great chance to become more informed about our city projects and to let your voice be heard. Your votes may become very useful in future debates about what Greenville residents really want. Check it out.

Forthright

No Easy Answers!

Lincoln was no saint nor hero, just a politician! said...

All this hero worship of Lincoln is quite disconcerting, if you know the facts. An educated man like Obama might want to study his "Hero" a bit closer! Check out the web site and quotes below to learn the facts and not read more myths. http://www.americanstalin.com/

-- Abraham Lincoln in speeches at Peoria, Illinois ....

My first impulse would possibly be to free all slaves and send them to Liberia to their own native land. But a moment's reflection would convince me that this would not be best for them. If they were all landed there in a day they would all perish in the next ten days, and there is not surplus money enough to carry them there in many times ten days. What then? Free them all and keep them among us as underlings. Is it quite certain that this would alter their conditions?

Free them and make them politically and socially our equals? My own feelings will not admit of this, and if mine would, we well know that those of the great mass of whites will not. We cannot make them our equals.

A system of gradual emancipation might well be adopted, and I will not undertake to judge our Southern friends for tardiness in this matter."

Abraham Lincoln later said, in discussing the options of colonizing them with segregated areas of Texas, Mississippi and South Carolina: "If we turn 200,000 armed Negroes in the South, among their former owners, from whom we have taken their arms, it will inevitably lead to a race war. It cannot be done.

The Negroes must be gotten rid of." Ben Butler responded to this by saying: "Why not send them to Panama to dig the canal?" Lincoln was delighted with this suggestion, and asked Butler to consult Seward at once. Only a few days later, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln and one of his conspirators wounded Seward.

It is fairly common knowledge that Lincoln was not the "great emancipator" as history claims. He had very mixed emotions about slavery, not so much as to its inherent "wrongness", but more with respect to how to correct a problem without creating chaos.

Basically, it was a political hot potato which had to be dealt with very delicately in order to appease two warring segments of our country. Obviously, the immorality of owning another human being was not a difficult position to defend. The quandary was what to do with these "disowned possessions".

Lincoln's strength was in considering the rights of both sides in this debate. It was very difficult to solve a problem that was so morally ill-conceived as slavery, but he knew that to do nothing would perpetuate a war that was very unpopular on both sides.

Lincoln's death came at a time in which history might have been rewritten. For Lincoln, it was the "problem" of the Negros that needed to be "gotten rid of"... and quickly in order to prevent national anarchy.

Presidents Lincoln and Obama share one very astounding similarity in their presidential challenges. No matter what decisions they make, many Americans will suffer and it will take years for this country to recover from some incredibly horrific decisions made by their predecessors.

Forthright

More "Club" Perks...

Care and make an effort said...

The citizens of Greenville who care need to take action when they see someone littering. Call 911 and report the tag number, if it happens driving or while parking. Maybe, if we all did this, some of these jerks would finally get the message...oh wait, these same people leave small children and pets unattended in cars, their children ride in their laps while they drive or the children stand in their moving vehicles and wear NO seat belts...in comparison, litter would be last on the list, but it is a start!

I called the cops one night when leaving Wal Mart. As I approached my car I found 4 small children, all under the age of 10 years old, left unattended at on a hot July evening, mosquitoes out in force. The doors were unlocked, windows down and the baby was crying for momma, while the siblings tried to cope. The mother came out as I stood by waiting for the cops to appear, she denied that the kids were alone as if I was nuts and jumped in her car and took off.

Luckily, I had already made note of her car tag. When the cop got there, I am not kidding now, his response to my story was that there was nothing to be done about it, that was just how Greenville was!!!!! I pushed and made him make out a report, later I called the then Chief with not much better response. As a last resort, I called the welfare office, I heard the cop getting her name from the tag. I reported her for child neglect and they said it would be investigated by one of their Social workers. Who knows if any thing came of it, but at least I tried and did not just walk by that night. More of that needs to happen in this city, people have to care to make it better!

Anonymous said...

Now that brings up a whole other conversation. The Dept. of Human Services around here is so overworked and underpaid that they probably looked at your report and rolled their eyes. You'd be lucky if that parent recieved some training in how to parent, because there surely was no threat to lose her kids for what she did. If we lived in most other states, there would be something to answer for if she left her kids in the car alone on a hot, summer evening!!

Anonymous said...

hot or not no responsible parents should leave children in a car alone. you can bet if something happened to those children they'd be the first to sue wal-mart, call a lawyer or call the police all the while never admitting they did anything wrong. Parent is the wrong word for these people. they are not parents. all they did was give birth and collect welfare and ssi payments. these are not children to them--they are ways to make money. have you heard them "talk" to the kids, it's nothing but screaming and cursing. If you criticize them, you are being racist or insensitive. I feel so sorry for the kids!

I know that the first author has the best intentions, but if I called 911 and reported someone littering, they would probably come and arrest me. Sure there are laws against littering; just as there are laws regarding seat belt use and child restraints, but they are generally overlooked (for certain citizens).

There are numerous laws on the books for which people get a "pass" in Greenville. How many times have you been behind a vehicle bilging smoke, has no tail lights or muffler, crushed windshield, parts dragging underneath... but a brand new inspection sticker on (what's left of) the windshield? I find myself having to change lanes every 500 feet in Greenville to keep from being asphyxiated from the vehicle in front of me.

In most cities, the police don't care if you drive a $200 "hooptie" or a $50K Hummer, the laws apply the same. Not in Greenville! It's another "club" perk where if you can't afford a car that is "legal", it's okay to pollute the environment and endanger other drivers.

My daughter was pulled over last week for "following too close". There was nothing wrong with her vehicle, she wasn't speeding and in her estimation, she was four car lengths behind the car in front of her. She was informed by the officer that it was at his discretion as to what constitutes "tail-gating" and that she best not argue with him. She didn't get a ticket because she shut her mouth. I guess I have taught her something in 19 years.

The point being, when were the police charged with interpreting the law? Probably 40% of the cars in Greenville should be removed from the road for blatant motor vehicle safety violations, and yet... it ain't gonna happen to club members!

Once again, we have two standards. If you can afford to abide by the laws, then you must; but if you are "doing the best you can", you get a pass... and that is at the individual officer's discretion! Democracy in action?

Forthright

Premium Parking?

GREENVILLE - “It can't be done.”

That's what Mayor Heather McTeer Hudson says to the question: “Why can't we have diagonal parking on Washington Avenue?”

A memo to the mayor from Lorenzo Anderson, interim city engineer, explained the city's position on the issue of parallel vs. diagonal parking.

“As previously discussed concerning the diagonal parking on Washington Avenue from Walnut Street to Delesseps Street, the MDOT's (Mississippi Department of Transportation) Roadway Design Manual requires 27 feet for diagonal parking maneuver.

“In order to have only two lanes of traffic with diagonal parking on both sides,” Anderson wrote, “we will need a total of 80 feet from curb to curb. Currently the width of the street is 67 feet from curb to curb. The current width of the street is not adequate to safely accommodate diagonal parking on both sides of the street.

”The city must comply with state and federal regulations when it uses state and federal funding, Hudson said. The fact that some cities still have diagonal parking in tight spots doesn't matter, she said, because if such situations arose now, where a city was basically reconstructing a street using federal dollars, that entity would have to abide by the new standards.

“The street is only 67 feet wide,” Hudson said. “The numbers just don't add up. Basically, you need 80 feet across to have diagonal parking, we only have 67.”

Where did the space go? There was diagonal parking on alternating sides of the street. Considering there are only about ten businesses left on Washington Avenue, this shouldn't be rocket science.

In as much as we are the "fattest" state in the nation, it might do us well to have to walk half a block!

Forthright

Aahhh... Paris in Spring!

Delta Democrat Times reports:

A request for funding to replace a heating and air conditioning unit in a building owned by the city sparked debate about where the money will come from at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

Brad Jones, public works director, asked for $3,800 for a HVAC replacement for Brent Neighborhood Facility. The money had not been budgeted, Jones said.“Take it out of the travel/advertising budget,” said Councilman Kenny Gines.

However, Mayor Heather McTeer Hudson urged the council not to deplete that portion of the budget.“Please do not sacrifice your entire (travel/training) budget,” she said, adding that she would be asking council members to accompany her on some trips as the city pursues federal funding for numerous projects.

Councilwoman Ann Hollowell asked if the city had reduced the rent for the daycare in exchange for the renter's making some repairs themselves. Councilman Carl McGee said no, saying it was still the city's responsibility to take care of the building.

“We're going to find this money,” Hudson said.

Councilman Errick Simmons made a motion to approve the request for funding, which Jones and Hudson said they will find. McGee seconded the motion, which passed.

The question of funding for a travel/training request for $245.09 that was turned down last month by the council came up again, but this time Hudson was present to explain the request. She said her trip to the Mississippi Delta Grassroots Caucus in Little Rock, hosted by the Delta Regional Authority Thursday and Friday, is not merely a speaking engagement, but an opportunity to lobby for funds for the port city.

“The city of Greenville requested to make a presentation to this organization about a lot of our infrastructure projects, but also transportation,” Hudson said. “This is the organization that has given us the most recent funding for the Washington Avenue project, the second half of that project.”

However, she said she was not going to ask for travel expenses again for the trip. She said a third party has agreed to pay for it. The council turned down the request at the Jan. 20 meeting because some members said they did not believe the city should pay expenses for the mayor's speaking engagements. Hudson was in Washington, D.C., for the inauguration during that meeting.

"Save the travel budget!" is the latest cry from our globe trotting mayor. This was our mayor's response to a recent request to replace an HVAC system at a city owned child care facility.

Hudson promised to "find" the money elsewhere rather than deplete our (her) travel and training budget. In the same meeting, the council voted not to reimburse the mayor for a recent two day trip to Little Rock which she claimed was an opportunity to lobby for funds for the port city. The mayor stated that she had found a "third party" to pay for the trip.

As for Hudson's Washington DC trip, just how much "work" do you think actually occurred on the days before and after Obama's inauguration? With the entire country's economy headed toward a depression, I doubt that the Mississippi Delta's woes were on anyone's short list.

Everyone needs to take advantage of Mayor Hudson's "open mic" Wednesdays. Ask questions and demand answers to our city's plight. You had better hurry though... I hear Paris in spring is quite beautiful!

Forthright

Hudson and Humphreys: What a Team!

Local officials are working toward a Feb. 19 deadline to prepare plans and bids ready submission to the federal government for a portion of the $825 billion economic recovery stimulus package proposed by President Barack Obama.

Ray Humphreys, CEO of Delta Regional Medical Center, said the hospital has a master plan for land purchased several years ago. The property is on Colorado Street south of Lowe's, which is on Mississippi 1. “The primary purpose of that purchase was to find a location for a new hospital when we have the funds to build that,” Humphreys said. “The 180-acre campus would also have room for and has plans for other facilities to be on that campus.”

Humphreys said the facilities could include doctors' offices, a cancer center and various medical support businesses.“Those businesses like to locate near hospitals. What we want to do is go ahead and do something that will cause that development to start,” said Humphreys. “We can't build a new hospital right now, but let's go ahead and get an entrance road in there with underground utilities in place so that people can go ahead and start developing their facilities on that campus. We want to make it development ready.”

Although DRMC has been involved in a $6 million renovation for the past couple of years, the hospital is 55 years old and does not offer the kind of facilities necessary to attract some doctors practicing in specialties, he said.“This community needs a modern, new health care center so that we can address the needs in this area more adequately,” he said, adding that Mississippi leads the nation in incidences of many health problems, such as diabetes and hypertension." We've got to have the facilities from which to operate to attract doctors,” said Humphreys.

Humphreys said DRMC has had talks with University Medical Center and William Carey College about the School of Osteopathic Medicine they are developing to use the hospital as a residency and a training program.“We need to do those kinds of things,” he said. “It's kind of hard to attract medical specialists if you have old, out-of-date facilities. It doesn't give them the ability to practice the kind of medicine that they were trained to do.”

No thanks! said...

My response is more of a question. For all the millions spent on DRMC why is it out of date???? No, I do not want a new hospital on the south end of town....why?? For one, my taxes are stretched to the limit, as it is in this city. The last thing we need are more taxes through the city and county to pay for this new hospital.

Second? Let's see, go to any city, not just Greenville, and where ever that hospital is located you can bet the worst part of town is nearby. Most welfare recipients and all of the low income follow hospitals as to where they want to live because of convenience to get free medical attention when needed. The closer they are the less need of transportation or the cheaper it is for them to get there. I honestly am not trying to be racist, this applies to whites or blacks.....be honest and you will see what I am talking about.

Most hospitals were built years ago, the neighborhoods then were usually upscale and high class. Now those same neighborhoods are run down and the original owners are long gone.

Think of Jackson, the VA Center, Univ. Med Center....all dangerous areas to be visiting loved ones in the hospital.So, please, fix up, update the DRMC and keep the crime rate where it is without it expanding more to the south, thanks but no thanks!

There he goes again! $6 million dollars in renovations; $4 million for an ad campaign and now Ray wants a new hospital! Does this man ever quit?

NICU - Failed; Heart Center - Flop; Burn Center - Gone; KDH... why? When will Ray learn that hospitals are not about shiny new buildings, but about qualified medical staff who are treated fairly and are proud to work at that facility. The way to keep good nurses, physicians and ancillary staff is to create a work environment that is safe, non-threatening and fair to all. That's where DRMC fails.

In terms of having state of the art equipment, DRMC is doing rather well. Sure, everyone would love to have a new medical center, but would it improve health care in the Delta? Would building all new schools improve our educational system? I think not.

So, in the last two years, we have spent $10 million dollars to "build the next great hospital in Mississippi" and now Ray has realized that none of his ideas have worked. So now he is back in his field of dreams asking for money to build an entrance road with underground utilities. Another "road to nowhere" funded by guess who?

Forthright

In Good Hands?

Concerned Citizen writes:

On Dec. 2, I called the Greenville Water Plant to report that raw sewage was backing up into my downstairs bathroom. City workers came by that afternoon and checked the sewer line at the south end of the street, but they did not let me know anything.

A few days later I reported to the water plant again that raw sewage was still coming into my downstairs bathroom. Workers came out again and told me to call a plumber. Plumbers came by, opened the manhole by the street at the end of my driveway, and showed me that the city sewer line is clogged or has collapsed north of my property, causing the raw sewage to overflow and back up into my house.

To make a long story short, city workers have been here; representatives from the Health Department have been here; Brad Jones has been here; plumbers have been here; Lee Owen has tried several times to help - and still nothing has been repaired. The plumbers did dig a trench in my front yard and left my clean-out valve open so that raw sewage will no longer come into my house.

The city workers and Brad Jones all admit that this is a city problem, but they have no idea when the sewer line will be repaired. In the meantime I have paid my plumber $433.35 for digging an unsightly (but necessary) trench in my front yard. The city should reimburse me for this expense since the obstruction is in the city sewer line north of my house, but Brad Jones tells me that the city probably will not reimburse me.

In mid-January I asked Brad again when the repairs will be made to the sewer line on my street. He admitted that he has no idea. He went on to say that there are many jobs on the list before this one.

Something tells me that this job will be like so many other projects in Greenville - the downtown improvements, the Bass renovation, the city street repairs, etc., etc., etc.

Something tells me, you're right! The really sad fact is that while residential streets and sewers are in total disrepair, we can still find money for the downtown "road to nowhere." The residential sections of Washington avenue (from DRMC to Hwy 82) are horrendous. This section is designated as our "historical" district for which tax payers pay dearly and yet the avenue is almost impassable.

Look at Bowman Boulevard. For the total costs of "patching" that street over the past ten years, it should be paved in gold. Instead, it is a roller coaster of bumps and ruts. The city has been working on Main Extended for 3 years and every time they patch a section, water starts oozing from from another and there are still several open "craters" that will jar your teeth.

If the past election has taught us a new buzz-word, it is "transparency". We should demand to know how our road and property taxes are being spent. Go down to City Hall and ask for a copy of a line-item budgetary expenditure report for 2008. Keep track of how many people you have to ask for this report as well as the number of excuses you get of why that information is "not currently available".

Actually, it would be a very good question for the Mayor herself during her weekly open forum visits with the residents. "Transparency" in our city and county governments is not something we will see in our lifetime.

Forthright

Over the Line

DRMC employee shares:

It is no wonder there is poor morale at DRMC which affects patient care. The way employees are mistreated and abused by upper management with reckless disregard for the DRMC Code of Conduct, not to mention federal laws, is just a drop in the bucket.

Recent events at "holiday parties" are good examples of upper management's misconduct with no accountability. Employees were attending a departmental Thanksgiving party held at the home of a supervisor. A revenue director became inebriated and in a drunken stupor told a hospital worker she was going to beat her ass and added there were other asses there that she was going to beat.

This is clearly indicative of upper management's Neanderthal mentality, and misconduct regarding rules against threat of violence to employees. If this was not bad enough, at a departmental Christmas party held at the home of the revenue director, the financial administrator became inebriated and in his drunken stupor told a worker and her husband that he needed to go home and take care of "that thing" before she had surgery.

This is clearly indicative of upper management's disdain, and misconduct regarding rules against lewd remarks and sexual harassment.

Sounds like DRMC employees had a bit too much holiday cheer! As for lewd remarks and sexual harassment, you should report this officially to Mr. Alphe Wells, whose job it is to insure that these incidents are investigated completely and appropriate action taken.

Unfortunately, this is just another example of the lack of sophistication and crudeness tolerated in "upper management" positions at DRMC. Humor is one thing, but when does it cross the line? I would suggest that the two examples of behavior above are about ten steps OVER the line.

We should demand more of our community "leaders".

Forthright

Congratulations President Obama!

It won't be all festivities and celebrations for Mayor Heather McTeer Hudson when she arrives in the nation's capital for the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.

Sure, there will be inaugural balls and such, but Hudson is also going to work.“We're going to the inauguration on Tuesday and I've got meetings on Wednesday morning.”

Still, the historical significance of the event isn't lost on the mayor.“It's wonderful to be able to celebrate the first African-American president of the United States,” said Hudson. “It's truly momentous.

At the same time,” she added, “it's exciting to celebrate the president who is ready to come to work.”Hudson will continue her efforts to bring funding to Greenville for a variety of projects. The president-elect has pledged funds to help the nation's crumbling infrastructure, something the two-term mayor knows a lot about.Hudson will meet on Capital Hill with other mayors and congressional leaders.

“Specifically for me, it's the Greenville community and other communities around Greenville, making sure that our infrastructure needs are there at the table,” Hudson said. “We're not going seeking theme parks and seeking things that have come under fire by the larger media, that some of the cities are looking for.

“We're going for base infrastructure: streets, sewer, water,” she said. “And we don't want to be left out. We've got to hit the ground running from day one, making sure that our needs are there.

Hudson believes her plan will work.“How better to improve the United States of America, both from an economic standpoint and from a structural standpoint, than to put the money into infrastructure,” said Hudson. “(Obama) is working not only with state governments but also local organizations, mayors, city council members, - organizations that have actual input, have hands-on contact - with how these dollars would be spent in our community.

“He's really getting a good idea of what it's going to take to get the structure of this nation back into play,” Hudson continued. “But also how many jobs is that going to create, what's the amount of money that is going to go into that?”

Hudson said when Obama unveiled his infrastructure stimulus package, he emphasized the need for information for projects that would be ready to start quickly. Going on the belief that “if you don't ask, you won't get it,” or possibly, “dream big,” Hudson has a wish list totaling nearly $338 million.

Hudson recently began a new feature at City Hall, “Open Office with the Mayor.” Citizens are invited to visit with the mayor at to discuss concerns, ideas, or plans they have regarding Greenville. Open Office is designed to give citizens the opportunity to just stop by and chat.

“I want citizens to feel free to stop by and share their ideas, compliments and complaints,” Hudson said. “In a city with over 40,000 residents, it can be difficult at times to get to every single person. This will allow us a day each week dedicated to just hearing from our citizens and improve our overall communications.”

The sessions will be held every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the mayor's office. No appointments are necessary. Persons will be seen on a first come first serve basis.

By TERRI FERGUSON SMITH, Delta Democrat Times

Tuesday, January 20, 2009, will be a momentous day for this country and the world. A new era will begin ushered in by one of the most challenging economies since the great depression. President Obama will need the support of every American to achieve his goals. It is a time for all of us to put aside our personal views and stand behind the man we have elected as President.

No one man can clean up the mess we have "permitted" in Washington D.C., but I believe that we will see significant steps toward that goal under Obama's leadership. Between the economy and the war, I can not imagine why anyone would want the job of President, but Mr. Obama seems to think he can make a difference and we should all commend his dedication and fortitude.

With a little positive thinking and a great deal of support from all Americans, perhaps President Obama will be the catalyst for change that this country has needed for years. We need a leader to whom we can look to for strength, honesty and support of the freedoms on which America was founded.

I hope you join me in wishing President Barack Obama the best of luck as our 44th President of the United States of America.

Forthright