MPA/MPS Press Releases

Jackson, Miss. – October 30, 2008 –  On Sunday, November 2, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. Baptist Medical Center, will celebrate 100 years of providing medical care with a dedication of the new Cardiovascular Center and Baptist for Women.

The new six level tower is connected to the west side of Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, Miss. and is approximately 200,000 square feet. The addition of this new tower, which houses the Cardiovascular Center and Baptist for Women, marks 100 years a the hospital has operated on this site.

“This expansion shows Baptist’s commitment to our city and our community,” said Baptist Health Systems President and Chief Executive Officer Kurt W. Metzner. “Patients in each new hospital have a certain group of needs. At our dedicated facilities, these needs are met by specialists in that field.”

With easy parking access, Baptist for Women’s entrance is on the lower level and will occupy the lower level, north end of the first level and fourth levels of the new tower. It will include a gift shop, coffee shop, classrooms and in the future an outpatient surgery. Services offered are obstetrics, labor and delivery, a 30 bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and childbirth education classes. There will be a new 24 bed women’s surgical unit on the first level as well.

The entrance to the Cardiovascular Center is on the first level. Baptist Cardiovascular Services will occupy the first, second and third levels. The first level will have cardiovascular same day procedure admissions and house a new 18-bed outpatient cardiovascular unit. The second level will have a non-invasive cardiovascular diagnostics such as EKG, nuclear cardiology, cardiac ultrasound and stress labs. There is also a new cardiovascular recovery area and cardiovascular surgical intensive care unit on this level. The third level is still under construction and will be cardiovascular inpatient rooms.

“This new tower provides for care efficiencies and patient convenience. Elements of  modern sleekness accompanied by soothing textures and tones lend to a wellness and healing environment. Layout of spaces focus on smoother workflow and enhanced resources and/or technologies to ease the workload of our healthcare providers,” said Baptist Health Systems Vice President Steve Jackson. “Whether utilizing inpatient or outpatient services, cardiovascular customers should anticipate a unique and positive experience. This investment demonstrates that we are dedicated to our mission of providing quality patient services to our community.”

The fifth level is still under construction. The plans call for this level be more additional patient rooms.

On Monday, December 8, 2008, many patients will be moved into rooms in the new tower as our tradition of Christian healing continues for the next 100 years. Today, Baptist has grown to be a 600 plus bed hospital and has approximately 500 physicians and employs approximately 3000 people.

“The philosophy of Baptist has always been to balance technology with a caring, compassionate human touch,” adds Metzner. “We’re making a statement with this investment and plan to stay in the neighborhood for a long time.”

For more information call the Baptist Health Line at 601-948-6262 or visit www.mbhs.org/tower
Parking directions for November 2 event: From I-55 take the Fortification Street exit heading west. Turn right at the State and Fortification Street intersection. Take the first left at the entrance sign to Baptist for Women. Follow the boulevard beside the parking garage to the parking area. Enter the new Baptist for Women entrance for the dedication.

ABOUT BAPTIST HEALTH SYSTEMS:

Visit Baptist on the web at www.mbhs.org. For more information contact the Baptist Healthline at 1-800-948-6262 or 948-6262.

Brian Steffens, Executive Director
(573) 882-5800
BrianSteffens@nna.org

86% of Adults (18-years-old or older) Read America’s Community Newspapers Weekly

COLUMBIA, MO — Just when Americans find themselves drawn to news reports from a contentious presidential election and deflating economic challenges, new research from the National Newspaper Association (NNA) again demonstrates that Main Street America relies upon community newspapers to inform and empower citizens from coast to coast. In a follow-up to its landmark 2005 research and 2007 update, NNA finds that 86 per cent of adults read a local community newspaper each week, which compares with 83% in 2007 and 81% in 2005. The survey was conducted this past summer, before the presidential race heated up and the stock market took a dive.

“This is in stark contrast to news reports trumpeting the decline, if not demise, of newspapers,” says John Stevenson, president of NNA and publisher of the Randolph Leader in Roanoke, AL. “We learned three years ago that we had a different story to tell, and with this second update we again prove that our initial findings hold up.”

According to the 2008 NNA survey, conducted by the Reynolds Journalism Institute’s (RJI) Center for Advanced Social Research at the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri:

• 86 percent of adults over the age of 18 read a newspaper every week.
• 75 percent of those readers read most or all of their paper.
• On average, readers spend 45 minutes reading an issue of their paper, compared to 42 minutes from the 2007 survey, and 38 minutes in the 2005 survey.
• More than one-third of readers keep their paper for more than six days, enabling them to revisit a story or advertisement at their leisure.

“Readers and advertisers have not abandoned community newspapers that serve their communities well, that are involved in their communities,” Stevenson said. “In towns and cities across the country, vibrant local newspapers continue to help strengthen their communities, and those communities in turn strengthen and support their local news source. They grow, together.”

“Just about all of the research and news reports on the “struggling” newspaper industry have been based on what’s happening at the top 100 major metropolitan newspapers, maybe the top 250,” said Brian Steffens, NNA executive director.  “That doesn’t tell the story of the remaining 1,200 daily newspapers or 8,000 community weekly papers in America. Many of those troubled papers started as community papers and then enjoyed decades of growth as they expanded into adjacent communities and surrounding suburbs, becoming regional newspapers and losing that tight community focus. That worked for awhile, but that model may not be as successful going forward.  But it doesn’t seem right to paint the rest of our industry with that brush.”

To capture a snapshot of readership along Main Street America, NNA surveyed adults in markets served by newspapers of less than 25,000 circulation to examine the relationship between Main Street America and newspapers. The 2007 survey included population centers less than 50,000; the 2005 survey targeted population centers less than 100,000.

According to the 2008 NNA survey, local community newspapers are the primary source of information for both news and advertising in local communities—by a 5-1 margin over the next most popular media.

Primary source of news and information about local communities: (where they get their news)

• 59 percent: local newspaper (compared to 45 percent in 2007)
• 11 percent: television (compared to 20 percent in 2007)
• 9 percent: friends and-or relatives
• 6.6 percent: radio (compared to 5.7 percent in 2007)
• 3.4 percent: Internet (same as 2007)

(The rest say they get their local information from co-workers, “others”, or they “don’t know.”)

Readers told NNA they prefer to get their local news and information from: (where they’d prefer to get their news from, if they had a choice)

• 64 percent: local newspaper (compared to 47 percent in 2007)
• 10 percent: television (compared to 19 percent in 2007)
• 5.4 percent: radio (same as 2007)
• 5.2 percent: (tie) friends and-or relatives; Internet

The findings also note:

• 99 percent of readers read local news.
• 69 percent read local news “very often”, compared to 64 percent in 2007; 49 percent in 2005.
• 59 percent say they never read local news online. (A 2007 RJI/Associated Press Managing Editors survey similarly found that only 32 percent of the American public sought local news online).
• 92 percent read local education (school) news, the same as in 2007, 2005.
• 66 percent read local education news somewhat to very often.
• 71 percent say they never read local education news online.
• 91 percent read editorials and-or letters to the editor, up slightly from 2007.
• 72 percent read local editorials and-or letters to the editor somewhat or very often.
• 76 percent say they never read local editorials and-or letters to the editor online.
• 80 percent read public notices, compared to 72 percent in 2007 and 2005.
• 74 percent read local sports, nearly the same as in the previous surveys.

These are the bread and butter topics of community newspapers. But how well do community newspapers perform these functions?

• 77 percent of readers believe their local news coverage is good to excellent.
• Only 52% believe the local coverage they find online to be good to excellent.
• 72 percent believe the accuracy of their community newspaper is good to excellent.
• Only 51 percent believe the accuracy of the local news they find online to be good to excellent.
• 70 percent believe the quality of writing in their community newspaper is good to excellent.
• Only 53 percent believe the quality of writing of local news they find online to be good to excellent.
• 66 percent believe the fairness of reporting is good to excellent.
• Only 43 percent believe the fairness of local reporting they find online to be good to excellent.

“While there is room for improvement, it should be noted that these were rated on a five-point scale, with the middle being fair or acceptable,” Steffens says. “Adding fair or acceptable to these numbers push them up dramatically – to between 94 percent and 98 percent. The difference in results for newspapers and online for coverage, quality, accuracy and fairness suggests that online readers may be finding some of their local “news” from blogs or other less-trusted online sources than their community newspaper or the paper’s web site.”

The 2008 and 2007 surveys asked a new set of questions asking readers to rate the following statements on a seven-point scale, from “doesn’t describe at all” (1) to “describes extremely well” (7).

My newspaper understands the things that are of special interest and importance to people who live in the area:

• 81 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Compared to 77 percent 2007).

My newspaper is well-organized and easy to get through:

• 81 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Same as 2007).

My newspaper makes it very easy to find the information I want:

• 80 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Same as 2007).

My newspaper is a newspaper I really trust:

• 76 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Compared to 73 percent 2007)

My newspaper has stories for people with my particular interests:

• 73 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Compared to 69 percent 2007)

My newspaper is extremely useful to me personally:

• 68 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Compared to 64 percent 2007).

My newspaper does an excellent job of investigating claims and statements made by government, civic and business leaders:

• 67 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Compared to 63 percent 2007).
  NOTE: 89 percent believe it’s important to investigate the claims and statements made by government, civic and business leaders.My newspaper provides more background and depth than any other news source:
• 65 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Compared to 48 percent 2007).

My newspaper gives me the information I need to hold government, civic and business leaders to a high level of accountability:

• 64 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Compared to 56 percent 2007).
  NOTE: 92 percent believe it’s important that the public, or newspaper on their behalf, hold government, civic and business leaders to a high level of accountability.

My newspaper really cares about people like me:

• 62 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Same as 2007).

My newspaper does a better job than any other news source of helping me understand the news:

• 54 percent combined (5-7) agreed. (Compared to 52 percent 2007).

To reinforce the concept that the public, or newspapers on the public’s behalf, should hold government accountable, 81 percent of readers said that government should be required to publish public notices in newspapers. This compares to 79 percent in 2007 and 71 percent in 2005.

“This is an excellent report card on the value of community newspapers,” says Stevenson. “But we cannot ignore a changing media landscape. We urge our members to view the Internet as an opportunity, not a threat; to consider it as one more tool to deliver value to our communities.”

Internet access at home has increased to 75 percent compared to 67 percent in 2007 and 61 percent in 2005, according to the latest research, Broadband (high speed) Internet access has jumped to 74 percent from 66 percent in 2007 and 39 percent in 2005.

Some 31 percent of community newspaper readers report they have visited their local paper’s web site in the last month, about the same as a year ago and compared to 20 percent in 2005.

“Despite a sizable growth in Internet and broadband access in smaller communities, these results indicate tremendous community support for their community newspapers,” Stevenson said. “The value proposition to readers and advertisers remains strong.”

NNA continues to seek donations and funding to update the research annually, according to NNA’s Executive Director Brian Steffens. “There are plenty of community newspapers that are maintaining or growing profit margins, many of them in double digits,” says Steffens, “I get more calls about new papers starting up than I get from publishers who are considering shutting down. Just in the past few weeks I’ve learned of nearly a dozen new community newspapers starting up. Community newspapers remain the dominant source of local news, products and services – typically by a wide margin – over any other media.”

When comparing 2008 results to 2007 and 2005, do not assume that they indicate a true increase or decline year over year. A direct comparison is impossible because the same people were not surveyed each year and the survey sample was changed each year: each year the “top end” was reduced to focus more on adults in smaller towns and cities that were more likely to read a community newspaper instead of a major metropolitan daily.

What we can say is that the results were extremely consistent across all three years. These results demonstrate that the findings were not a fluke of a particular year or sample. These results might suggest that adults in smaller towns and cities have a stronger relationship with the newspapers than adults in larger towns and cities.

Established in 1885, the National Newspaper Association is the voice of America’s community newspapers and the oldest and largest newspaper association in the country. The nation’s community newspapers inform, educate and entertain more than 60 million readers every week.

Founded in 1908, the Missouri School of Journalism has set the standards for journalism and strategic communication training for almost a century. The proven “Missouri Method” blends theory and practice through coursework and the university’s own media, including a community newspaper, a network television station and a national public radio station.

Download the full 2008 Readership Release

Contribution Will Fund PSA’s and Training on Compulsive Gambling

Jackson, MS - Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg recently made a generous donation of $25,000 to the Mississippi Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling (MCPCG) to be used towards compulsive gambling education and awareness for the general public. This donation, which is the fifth from Ameristar, will provide funding for television public service announcements to publicize the 24-hour toll-free help line number that gamblers or family members can call to get information on problem and compulsive gambling. The help line counselors refer callers to Gamblers Anonymous meetings, regional mental health centers, private health care providers and Consumer Credit Counseling Centers.

This donation will also provide funding for MCPCG to host a workshop on compulsive gambling. Gaming employees, addiction counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed professional counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists and psychiatric nurses are invited to attend this workshop.

“Through the collaborative efforts of MCPCG and Ameristar we can provide training and education to the public about this addiction ”, said Betty Greer, MCPCG Executive Director.

“Ameristar Casino is committed to social responsibility, and is dedicated to promoting and enforcing responsible gaming practices,” said Ameristar Casino Hotel Vicksburg General Manager Adrian Caldwell. “We are pleased to again partner with the Mississippi Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling in conjunction with our charitable giving program.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For additional information, contact:
Christy Neal,  cneal@billgaultlaw.com ,    601-927-7339
Lynne Currie,  lynnecurrie@comcast.net, 601-940-8300

Mistletoe Marketplace 2008 Promises Shoppers
The Greatest Gifts

Jackson, Miss.— For the 28th year, The Junior League of Jackson presents Mistletoe Marketplace, a magical 3-day shopping event and the official start of the holiday season.  The Mississippi Trade Mart will once again be bursting at the seams with over 160 merchants featuring the most incredible, imaginative gift opportunities and master-crafted creations from the nation’s most talented craftsmen.  All yours for the choosing!

Shopping begins at 11 a.m.,  Thursday, November 6 and continues through Saturday, November 8 at 5 p.m.  In addition to the fabulous shopping, there are a host of special events such as two preferred shopping brunches, Surf Meets the City & MistleBrew & Tinis Too!.  For more information and tickets, visit www.mistletoemarketplace.com.

General Shopping:            Thursday, November 6 (11 am - 9 pm)
Friday, November 7 (11 am - 9 pm)
Saturday, November 8 (9 am - 5 pm)
A Sample of
Special Events:                ”Surf Meets the City”
Thursday, November 6, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
$50 per person (limited tickets)
Chefs Kevin Rathbun and Tim Creehan face off

“MistleBrew & Tinis, Too!”
Friday, November 7, 7 pm - 10 pm
$50 per person (limited tickets)
Enjoy music, signature drinks and hors d’oeuvres

“Pizza on the Piazza”
Sat., November 8, 9:30 am & 12:00 pm
$45 per child per session (includes cost of                                                 adult; limited tickets)
Children have the opportunity to create                                                         authentic Italian pies
(Children must be accompanied by an adult)

Annual event for Mississippi non-profit to feature special canines

The Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi is hosting its annual fundraiser on November 8 at Lakeshore Park in Brandon. The theme of this year’s event is Off the Leash for Epilepsy.

Many pet owners may not realize that their playful pooches can suffer from seizure disorders just like people. In addition, some dogs, known as “seizure dogs”, can sense when a human is about to have a seizure and sound the alarm.

“That’s what led us to this theme,” says executive director Beth Scarborough. “It is different and it gives people a chance to take their dog to the park and have fun for an afternoon, while supporting a great cause.”

The event will feature demonstrations by some very special dogs- including a K-9 S.W.A.T. team dog, dogs with special agility skills, and others. Plus, dogs and their owners can compete for prizes for “ugliest dog”, “cutest dog”, and “dog/owner look alike.”

The event will provide food, music, and lots of entertainment.

Most of all, the event is designed to raise money and awareness for the thousands of Mississippians living with Epilepsy. The foundation’s work is designed to have a positive impact in their lives.

Tres Townsend, Special Events Coordinator for Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi, says, “We’re looking forward to a great event. People should come out and enjoy a day in the park with their dogs.”

All proceeds will benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi.
*

For more information on Off the Leash for Epilepsy, contact Tres Robertson at tresmsepilepsy@bellsouth.net or visit http://www.epilepsy-ms.org.

Contact:
Mara Hartmann
(601) 969-2520 (office)
(601) 594-9042 (cell)

Invites Attorney General to Work Cooperatively with the MPSC, Court

Jackson, Miss. – In response to today’s hearing in Mississippi Chancery Court relative to the claims by the office of the attorney general about Entergy Mississippi’s pricing practices, Haley Fisackerly, president and chief executive officer, made the following statement.
“For more than 85 years, Entergy Mississippi, Inc. has served the people of Mississippi, providing electricity through a highly regulated and transparent process, including regular reviews and verification of our fuel purchase and pricing practices. When this company’s integrity is called into question, I am duty-bound to stand-up and speak out on behalf of the 1,900 Mississippians who comprise our workforce and whose hard work and dedication enable us to live up to our ‘obligation to serve’ our customers.
Entergy Mississippi has always worked to minimize the impact of energy costs on Mississippians, even during the ongoing energy crisis. Recently, our state regulator, the Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC), has been carefully evaluating our fuel purchase and pricing practices through two separate dockets in which, incidentally, the attorney general chose not to intervene. We have welcomed these investigations as an opportunity to demonstrate our ongoing compliance.
Unfortunately, this inappropriate investigation by the office of the attorney general is a distraction from our core responsibility to deliver affordable and reliable electricity to our customers. In the midst of a global energy crisis where fuel prices remain highly volatile, this distraction is not in the best interest of Mississippians. Such intrusions into an already regulated business risks sending a message that may discourage business investment in our state.
Against this backdrop, the attorney general has raised unfounded allegations, arbitrarily accusing the company of over-charging customers for 30 years. He now seeks 30 years’ worth of information, much of which can be readily obtained through our authorized regulator, to try to justify those claims.
The attorney general has suggested that Entergy Mississippi has something to hide, and that we are not willing to provide documents to back up why these charges are not true.
Entergy Mississippi’s position has been clear from the beginning – we are willing to prove that our decisions are just and reasonable, and are intended to provide reliable service to our customers at the lowest possible cost, but we have insisted that the proper forum in which to do that is the MPSC, not some undefined action of the attorney general.
His actions are the equivalent of a prosecutor arbitrarily asking a citizen to produce 30 years’ worth of tax returns, bank statements, credit card charges and other data so that the prosecutor can see if some type of violation may have occurred. It is no more than a fishing expedition that will ultimately cost taxpayers and utility customers.
Contrary to the erroneous claims of the attorney general, this disagreement has nothing to do with our willingness to share data. In fact, we could not do business in Mississippi without providing the kinds of data to our regulators that the attorney general is seeking. The problem is that he is wrong on the facts and wrong in his premise about Entergy Mississippi. That is why we are petitioning the court to establish a reasonable framework of legal discovery to enable the office of the attorney general to obtain information from Entergy Mississippi.
If the attorney general truly has genuine concerns about electricity prices we trust he will want to work cooperatively with Entergy Mississippi, and more importantly with well-established regulators, the MPSC and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). These agencies already scrutinize our business practices thoroughly and have expertise the office of the attorney general does not. The MPSC is empowered by the Mississippi Legislature and the people of Mississippi to regulate the utility companies in the state.
Furthermore, the attorney general cannot claim that Entergy Mississippi has acted inappropriately without also suggesting that the MPSC has failed to protect the best interests of the people of Mississippi.
Today we call on the attorney general to re-evaluate his actions as they are not in the best interests of the people of Mississippi. If he fails to do so, we are confident we will prevail in court on behalf of our customers, our company and the public interest of the state.
Thank you.”
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to more than 433,000 customers in 45 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. 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 2.6 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
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Entergy Mississippi’s online address is www.entergy-mississippi.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For information call Jo Parris, Mississippi Cat Fanciers. 601 939-0710 or
Email jo-parris@comcast.net

Mississippi Cat Fanciers is hosting the annual championship cat show at The Frank Cochran Center in Meridian MS November 8 & 9 2008.
The Cochran Center is located at 1725 Carousel Drive in Meridian.

Show hours are 9:00AM - 4:00 PM both days. Cats from around the U.S. will meet to compete for Regional and National wins.

If you love cats this is the place to be!

Admission is $5.00 for adults and children under 12 are free. Children 12 and over will be $4.00.

NO STROLLERS  PLEASE

Contact: Natalie Hall GSI Broadcasting, Inc,
P.O. Box 6572
Jackson, MS 39282
Phone: 601-259-1556 Fax: 866-589-3376
Email: info@gsibroadcasting.com

Global Sports Internet Broadcasting, Inc has announced the official launch of their website. After twelve months of research and development, GSIBroadcasting.com is to unveil the newest and greatest live sports streaming website available. Saturday’s Texas Southern vs. Alcorn State football game will be the first official webcast. The Alcorn State Athletic Department has partnered with Global Sports Internet Broadcasting of Jackson, MS to produce the live webcast of this week’s game from Jack Spinks Stadium. This is the first sporting event to be webcasted live on the official athletic website, www.alcornsports.com. Fans can tune in to watch the contest at 2 p.m., which is Alcorn State’s homecoming. “We’re excited to provide this game to our fans,” Sports Information Director LaToya Shields said. “This venue will enable the university to maximize its exposure and it will provide a unique opportunity for our athletes to showcase their talents worldwide. We look forward to expanding to other sports in the future.” Founded in Mississippi by a native Mississippian, Global Sports Internet Broadcasting, Inc plans to allow all fans to view their favorite sports program free of charge on the internet. For the latest information and news on this amazing website visit them at www.gsibroadcasting.com and click to watch your team.

One in five Mississippians are currently without health insurance. Thousands of others are underinsured and have difficulty meeting their health care needs. The state has one of the highest percentages of uninsured citizens and is near the bottom in terms of doctors per capita. Quality care is wanting; with many Mississippians relying on the emergency room as their primary health provider. Despite the public preference for policies that improve coverage, Mississippi is actually implementing barriers to existing health programs.

The Mississippi Health Advocacy Program (MHAP) recently sponsored a series of public dialogues on health care around the state. Each dialogue featured 30-35 randomly selected individuals that were socially and economically diverse. The focus of the dialogues was to discuss health care problems in Mississippi and form a consensus on what health care in the state should look like. 91% of those in attendance agreed that coverage for every person in the state was “absolutely essential” or “very important”. 81% of participants supported a public run health care program.

There exists now a critical mass wanting health care reform. The ground level of support in a state like Mississippi greatly enhances the call for federal action on this issue.

Both the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates have proposals that would change health care. However, Barack Obama and John McCain have vastly different approaches.

Obama’s plan would offer more affordable and high-quality universal coverage through mix of private and expanded public insurance. For those who currently have health insurance, either through their employer or privately, there would be no change. His plan would provide subsidies to those without insurance, tax breaks for small business that cover their employees, and expand government health programs such as SCHIP. The democrat estimates cost to be between $50 and $65 billion a year.

John McCain is offering a $2,500 tax credit for individuals, $5,000 for families, to help purchase health insurance. McCain would tax employer provided health care benefits for the first time ever – thereby removing a major incentive companies have to provide coverage for their employees

Currently, only 60% of employers provide health care coverage to their employees.  A family with no employer provided health care pays an average of more than $12,000 per year for insurance because individual plans are more expensive. Under McCain’s plan, there would be $7000 in out of pocket expense left for a family to pay after they have received their tax credits.

A study by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center suggest that Obama’s proposal would eventually cover more than 34 million of the roughly 47 million Americans currently without insurance, while McCain’s would cover at best 5 million uninsured. Also, an article, published in the journal Health Affairs, stated that 20 million individuals would eventually lose their employer provided health insurance under McCain’s plan.

Looking at access to health care in relation to the age of the person covered, the best return on the dollar is health care for pregnant women and young children. For relatively little cost, most major health problems with pregnancy and delivery can be prevented; for even less cost, health care for babies and young children results in healthier children and adults down the road.

The cheapest people for health insurance companies to insure are young men and women who are not pregnant, because they rarely need health care. As people get older their health care costs tend to go up as the probability of their acquiring a disease or other health problem increases. The most expensive to insure are the chronically ill – those with cancer, heart disease, blood diseases, kidney disease and other conditions that require on-going health care.

John McCain’s health care proposal will provide incentives for young, healthy people to go out and get cheap insurance on their own. However there is concern that older, less healthy people whose health care is more expensive would have trouble finding coverage they can afford. The cost for administrating health coverage under the McCain plan is estimated to be about twice the rate of the current system, and about 9 times more than it costs to administrate Medicare.

Mississippi is one of ten states whose 2 year average in the rate of people without insurance went up in 2006-07. With an increase of 3.0%, only Louisiana had a higher rate of increase of the uninsured than Mississippi. Mississippi’s current rate of people without health insurance is 19% compared to a national average of 15% and higher than all but 4 other states. Whichever administration takes office in January, Mississippi families will be in desperate need of action on healthcare at the federal level.

Jarvis Dortch is the Communications Coordinator for the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program in Jackson, MS.

For more information
Contact: Sherri Gray, General Manager, Courtyard by Marriott
Telephone: 601-636-8788
Courtyard by Marriott Vicksburg

Ed Ghanami, Director of Operations,
1 Underwood Drive                    Southern Hospitality Services, LLC
Vicksburg, MS 39180                    Telephone: 601-932-8996

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY SERVICES, LLC BRINGS THE MARRIOTT COURTYARD HOTEL TO VICKSBURG

VICKSBURG, MS - Southern Hospitality Services, LLC announces the addition of its newest flagship hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott, Vicksburg MS. The New Courtyard Vicksburg is scheduled to open in December 2008, and will feature 107 spacious rooms and 4 suites. The new hotel will offer its guests the comfort and pleasure of enjoying high end amenities. The Courtyard Vicksburg will feature a newly designed lobby that offers comfort and functionality in a warm setting. The main features of the hotel include a lounge, bistro, a spacious courtyard, an indoor pool, and a convenient 24-hour self-serve pantry. We invite you to visit www.gocourtyard.com to experience the overall look and amenities of the new Courtyard Vicksburg.

“We are very excited to bring such a fine hotel brand to the Vicksburg area. We are confident the Courtyard Vicksburg will satisfy the needs of the local community, and complement existing quality hotels in the area. It is incumbent upon us, who have started right here in Vicksburg years ago, to celebrate our success, and build such fine hotels that will match the growth and demand of the city of Vicksburg” said Mr. Roy Patel, President, Southern Hospitality Services, LLC. “The Courtyard Vicksburg will be highly positioned to offer Vicksburg visitors, and local businesses a pleasant experience with friendly service, the finest in guest lodging and in true southern style hospitality, right here in Vicksburg” said Sherri Gray, General Manager of the Courtyard Vicksburg.

Southern Hospitality Services, LLC is a full service management company with a portfolio of 14 hotels and more than 1,200 rooms. The company operates in Mississippi, Louisiana and California. Southern Hospitality Services manages hotels with major franchises such as Marriott, Hilton, Intercontinental and Choice hotels.