MPA/MPS Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Carolyn Stephenson
Vicksburg Bed & Breakfast Association 41
601-638-2000

VICKSBURG, MS (January 22, 2010): The Vicksburg Bed & Breakfast Association and the Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau announce plans for its 2010 Tapestry:  The Pilgrimage to Vicksburg featuring presentations at historic locations throughout the city from Thursday, March 11 – Monday, April 5, 2010.
Tapestry will include interpretive presentations that tell the history of the city from antebellum grandeur to the turn of the 20th Century and even progressing into the 21st Century.  “We are a unique river city with so many remarkable stories to tell,” says Vicksburg Bed and Breakfast Association president Carolyn Stephenson.  “Our Tapestry presentations will bring those stories to life.”
In addition to regularly scheduled tour hours, 16 of Vicksburg’s most historic properties will tell their stories which together weave the Tapestry of what defines Vicksburg today. Those included in Tapestry are Anchuca Historic Mansion, Annabelle, Baer House, The Bazsinksy House, Duff Green Mansion, The Corners, Cedar Grove Mansion, Christ Episcopal Church, The Cobb House at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center, The George Washington Ball House, The Jacqueline House, Linden Plantation Gardens, The Martha Vick House, The Mary Harwood House, The Shlenker House, and the Old Court House Museum.
Betty Bullard, the vice president of the Vicksburg Bed & Breakfast Association, says that Tapestry: The Pilgrimage to Vicksburg is a perfect event for the city because of its history and what the city has to offer.
“Vicksburg is the key to the south,” she said. “That word ‘key’ was first used by Abraham Lincoln referring to Vicksburg’s strategic importance in the Civil War. We are still the key because of being strategically located on the bluffs of the mighty Mississippi River.
“The city is noted for its history, architecture, good food, and unique shopping. The Pilgrimage to Vicksburg is called Tapestry and you can enjoy every thread that weaves its way through your eyes to discover our town.”
Tapestry presentations will include collections of vintage 1800s fine china, silver and antiques, clothing, linens, Victorian jewelry, Civil War medical instruments and period tools.  In addition, presentations will include quilting, tatting, period foods and spirits and special presentations about the Davis Family of Warren County and the slave trade in Vicksburg.  Tapestry will also feature special evening lecture series.
Stephenson expects Tapestry’s second year to be an even bigger success because of special presentations on weekends and more colorful presentations during the week.
“We were thrilled by the success of last year and expect this year to be even better. We are hopeful that we will have an increase in visitors because we are offering more events. On Fridays and Saturdays, we will be having special presentations that will not only be informative, but vastly entertaining.”
Tapestry gives the experiences of early Vicksburg life and the chance to explore the fabric of Vicksburg society with tours of the historic homes and hallways. The interpretive presentations of Vicksburg’s history bring to life the heritage and culture of the remarkable river city. For over five decades of the 1800s, Vicksburg was the center for the aristocracy whose wealth was based on cotton and lumber. A glimpse of its former glory is evidenced by the preservation of many historical churches, government buildings and homes, some dating to the 19th Century.
Special overnight rates will be offered at bed and breakfasts participating in Tapestry during the time of the event. Ticket prices for Tapestry events are $25 for three homes/events or $10 for one home/event.  Tickets are available at each venue and at the Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, 3300 Clay Street, Vicksburg, 601-636-9421. For a complete schedule and other information please visit www.vicksburgbedandbreakfast.com, www.visitvicksburg.com, or call the Vicksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-221-3536.
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Op-ed Submission

By Rep. William J. (Billy) McCoy
Speaker, Mississippi House of Representatives

We share the anxiety which lurks in the hearts of thousands of Mississippians faced with budget cuts, potential job losses, reduced services and, yes, even fear of seeing loved ones cast out state mental facilities and early release of convicts. The leadership of the House of Representatives sincerely disagrees with Governor Barbour’s approach.
Now, a solution comes down to political philosophy. After making the mandatory five per cent cuts to present budgets, Governor Barbour finds even more is required as continuing shortfalls exist. The Governor wants more power to ‘pick and choose.’ His track record does not comfort those of us who place priority on education and people. The House believes it is bad policy to empower the Governor more.
Repeatedly, the House’s hardworking appropriations team, led by Chairman Johnny Stringer, has forwarded to our Senate counterparts alternatives. While the Senate rubber stamps the Governor’s proposal and rams it through the process, they have refused to even take up the House proposition.
We don’t want public school teachers, university professors or state employees to unnecessarily worry about their jobs. HB 392 passed by a large majority in the House. It absorbs the shock of budget deficits. It insists that the Governor use an estimated $61,000,000 in Federal Stimulus funds which he has at his discretion and then wisely dip into our savings, often called ‘rainy day’ accounts, for another $50 million.
There is legitimate disagreement about how much money is actually going to be needed to escape our present problem. The Legislature is in session. We can continue to work, tweak and watch for the storm clouds to leave, which they will do. Happy days will eventually return.
The Governor is very good at ‘spinning’ his message, a trait he brought with him from his time in Washington. The House leadership understands the public’s anger and frustration. We simply think, like a family must sometimes do, when an emergency arises, we go to our savings reserves and live to play another day.
The House will continue to seek ways through which we can reduce the harm of drastic budget cuts. We are always open to compromise, but so far, we have not seen that word in the Governor or Senate dictionary.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Robert Lesley 601.420.5021

Atmos Energy Says Aid Available to Help Pay for Home Heating
Gas company official encourages those who need help to call for assistance

JACKSON, Miss. (January 21, 2010)—With the recent extremely cold temperatures covering much of the United States, energy usage has spiked as customers try to stay warm. Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) advises its customers that energy assistance funds are available for those who need help paying for home heating.

“Like last winter, this heating season will be challenging for some customers, and Atmos Energy is ready to help connect our customers in need with energy assistance agencies,” said David Gates, president of Atmos Energy’s Mississippi Division. “Some agencies have a new supply of federal or state funds to help people pay their utility bills.

“Fortunately, too, natural gas prices this year are lower than gas prices were last winter,” Gates said.

A recent survey by the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association found that the number of households receiving energy assistance funds reached record levels for the second year in a row. The survey showed 8.3 million American households received aid in 2009, up from 6.1 million the previous year.

Congress passed and President Obama signed legislation to provide $5.1 billion in funds for low-income Americans who need help paying energy bills. This latest funding for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) includes $4.5 billion in formula funds and $590 million in contingency funds.

This month, the federal department of Health and Human Services released more than $15 million in LIHEAP funds earmarked for Mississippi. These funds are in addition to more than $29.6 million in funds that were approved for the state last October. Congress has funded the LIHEAP program at record levels for the past two years because of need based on the economic downturn.

Atmos Energy customers can also contact their local Salvation Army office to see if they qualify for the company’s “Sharing the Warmth” program. This program is funded by donations from the company and its more than 260,000 customers in Mississippi.

Atmos Energy customers can find a local energy assistance agency on the company’s Web site at www.atmosenergy.com by clicking on Home Service and on the link for energy assistance agencies. Customers also can call the company’s customer contact center for assistance toll-free at 1-888-286-6700. Because of high winter-call volumes, customers are encouraged to call during the afternoon, evening or the weekend.

“Most important, customers who need help should contact one of these energy assistance agencies or call us early, rather than wait until the last minute, if they are having trouble paying their bills,” said Jeff Hardgrave, Atmos Energy’s vice president of customer service. “Often a payment problem can be resolved easily if a customer calls us early.”

Last winter, Atmos Energy referred more than 55,000 customers to community energy assistance agencies, an increase of 48 percent from the previous winter. Atmos Energy customers received more than $9 million in energy assistance funds last winter.

Atmos Energy, its customers and employees donated more than $1.2 million in 2009 to help energy assistance agencies through the company’s Sharing the Warmth program. The funds were distributed to assistance agencies in the givers’ local areas.

About Atmos Energy
Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is the country’s largest natural-gas-only distributor, serving more than 3 million natural gas distribution customers in more than 1,600 communities in 12 states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy also provides natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers primarily in the Midwest and Southeast and manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas. Atmos Energy is a Fortune 500 company. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.

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Editors note: attached to this news release is a PDF of locations within the Atmos Energy service territory where customers can receive utility bill assistance. The list does not include locations not served by Atmos Energy.

Contact: Michael Simmons                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tel. (662)843-2700                                   January 11, 2009
Cell: (662)402-1436
Email: michael@theclevelandcurrent.com

CLEVELAND—Michael Simmons, Editor of the Cleveland Current, has challenged local elected officials and community members, Mayor of Cleveland Billy Nowell and the board of alderman; and President of Delta State University, Dr. John Hilpert and the university’s senior cabinet along with the Cleveland School Board, including superintendent Dr. Jackie Thigpen to a health and wellness challenge for 2010 beginning Monday Jan. 11.

In an effort to promote a grant received by Delta State from BlueCross BlueShield that funds programs to encourage health and wellness in one of the nation’s unhealthiest regions, Simmons has extended an invitation to a healthy competition for the city of Cleveland. Based on percentages of overall health and weight loss, a winner will be determined after a full year of exercise programs, more nutritional eating plans and an overall healthier lifestyle.

If the elected officials weigh in at a lower percentile of weight loss and overall health after the year’s time frame, the City of Cleveland will proclaim Simmons’ birthday, March 5, Michael Simmons Day.

Simmons requested that a specific age group of children are let out of school for the day, a parade is put together, the City of Cleveland gives a formal proclamation and Hilpert pays for the celebration on the Quadrangle of Delta State’s campus in Simmons honor.

In addition to challenging the local officials, Simmons extended the challenge to the entire Cleveland community allowing any one to sign up and participate under “Team Cleveland.”

While adults are welcome to join in under the title and participate in the healthy challenge, children also have the opportunity to take part under Simmons’ team. Though their losses will not count towards his overall percentile, the number of children that sign up and participate will add extra points. The age group that the most students sign up under will be the group that is invited to the Quadrangle to celebrate in Michael Simmons Day.

Community members have until March to sign up and begin to participate in the ultimate health challenge for 2010.

To stop the threat of Michael Simmons Day and sign up to fight for a healthier community or find out more information call (662) 846-3000 and ask to speak to the Healthy Initiative office.

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NEWS RELEASE CONTACTS: Danny Ghorbani – MHARR Phone: (202) 783-4087

Scott Pepperman – NASASP Phone: (717) 389-5100

Brian Cooney – MHI Phone: (703) 558-0660

On January 4th, the General Services Administration (GSA) listed 13 lots of manufactured homes, travel trailers and ‘park model’ homes from FEMA’s temporary housing unit (THU) inventory located at 10 staging and storage locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi totaling more than 100,000 units for immediate sale and disposal at auction on the GSA Auction website at gsaauctions.gov . A number of trade associations and government surplus property agencies which would be negatively affected by such large numbers of units being auctioned at pennies on the dollar have joined forces to seek Congressional intervention to halt or slow the on-line auctions. The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) and the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) – representing the makers and sellers of HUD-Code manufactured homes – and the National Association of State Agencies for Surplus Property (NASASP) – representing surplus property agencies of the 50 States, U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia – have raised a list of concerns important to their respective members in the event that the auctions liquidate the bulk of FEMA’s emergency housing stock. According to the coalition, this ‘fire sale’ mentality will serve to cripple the already struggling manufactured housing and RV industries – causing losses to builders and sellers of these products, and resulting in the loss of jobs in both of these sectors. The introduction of the 8,872 ‘FEMA-spec’ manufactured home units into the market would represent a number of homes greater than 85% of ALL new manufactured homes shipped into these states for sale during the first ten months (Jan-Oct) of 2009. The dumping of this much inventory at reduced prices into the markets of states throughout the Southeast, mid-South and Southwest, according to the coalition, will endanger jobs and stifle small business in an already shaky economy and lessen the demand for new manufactured homes and travel trailers – both of which generate sales tax dollars for the states involved. These listings combine huge numbers of THUs into lots under a single bid – virtually eliminating any opportunity for individuals or small businesses to purchase these units directly from GSA at auction. The government’s handling of this ‘wholesale disposal’ will benefit only a small number of investors or buying groups that will compete with a very limited number of other potential purchasers. If successful, the winning bidders may then subdivide the units into smaller groups – selling some to and through distributors, others as rental units, and auctioning the remainder to the
public at-large – all at a healthy profit. It is the coalition’s position that, while there is nothing wrong with ‘return on investment’, the continued mismanagement of the disposal of these units – at the expense of the taxpayer, the buying public, and the manufactured home and recreational vehicle industry – IS wrong, and is poor public policy. The wholesale disposal of more than 100,000 THUs will also disrupt the flow of units offered through State Agencies for Surplus Property to state and local governments, businesses, public educational institutions, public health agencies, public safety (police and fire) departments, libraries, not-for-profit organizations – including: veteran’s homes, senior centers, homeless shelters, food banks, etc. - and other eligible recipients which have received FEMA units through the ‘donation’ program. These units have been invaluable to cash-strapped state and local government agencies for use as mobile command centers, portable offices and storage units. In 2006, Congress expressed its clear preference that unused units should be donated to Indian Tribes and others when it amended the Stafford Act, which governs disaster relief and emergency assistance. Unwary homebuyers – looking for ‘a deal on a FEMA trailer’ – could also be in for problems when purchasing these homes at public auction as well, coalition members warn. Some of these units may not be able to be titled in certain states, and others may have undisclosed health and safety concerns from deployment, improper transit and storage or lack of maintenance that create dangerous living conditions for low-to-moderate income Americans… including: air quality concerns, plumbing and HVAC system contamination, electrical problems, and structural defects. Homes or travel trailers sold outside the normal realm of regulated seller-buyer activity may leave purchasers unprotected by state and Federal laws governing construction and safety, according to members of the coalition. On behalf of their respective members, the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform, the Manufactured Housing Institute, and the National Association of State Agencies for Surplus Property are requesting assistance from Members of Congress to direct GSA to suspend the mass disposal of FEMA’s temporary housing unit inventory at this time and seek input from interested parties (industry, Federal Surplus Property agencies, Native American tribes, state governments and others) to develop a methodical, manageable – yet coordinated – plan for the sale, donation, use and distribution of usable excess/surplus inventory that does not: 1) contribute to continued government waste, 2) cause irreparable harm to the manufactured housing and RV industries and increased regulatory or other legal liability to HUD-Code home producers, and 3) put potential consumers’ health or hard-earned dollars at risk. < 30 > Attachment: Breakdown of Inventory by Unit Type and Staging Area
GSA Auction Lots of Temporary Housing Units Source: GSA Auction Website http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucindx/ Site Manufactured Homes Travel Trailers Park Models Selma, AL 85 4,846 291 Selma, AL 733 1,676 170 Hope, AR 3,719 11,264 30 Port St. Lucie, FL 27 940 1 Baton Rouge, LA 174 3 418 DeRidder, LA 2,291 3,580 597 Lottie, LA 21,715 19 Melville, LA 737 21,012 886 Brooklyn, MS 149 2,251 12 Columbia, MS 9,102 2 Lumberton, MS 9,475 Lumberton, MS 957 3,452 153 Purvis, MS 2,712 TOTALS: MH = 8,872 TT = 92,028 PM = 2,579

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jason Thompson
601.898.7194
jason.thompson@healthy-miss.org

L.E.A.D. Conference Focuses on Leadership and Activism in Youth Tobacco Prevention
Registration for Statewide Youth Conference Open to High School Students

Jackson, MS, January 4, 2010 - Generation FREE (The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi) is hosting the L.E.A.D. 2010 (Leadership, Engagement, and Activism Development) Conference from February 23 to February 26, 2010. Four one-day conferences for high school students in grades 9 through 11 will be held from 9AM to 2PM in Biloxi, Jackson, Greenville and Tupelo.

The L.E.A.D. Conference focuses on equipping high school students in grades 9 through 11 with the tools needed to continue the creation of sustainable change in their communities related to the reduction of youth tobacco use and other important issues. The keynote speaker for the event, Yes Duffy, is a nationally-recognized youth activist and former cast member of MTV’s Road Rules®. Youth will also attend sessions on opportunities for leadership and grassroots activism available through Generation FREE, the State’s youth-led tobacco prevention program.

The Biloxi L.E.A.D. Conference will take place on February 23 at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum and Convention Center (2500 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS). The Jackson L.E.A.D. Conference will take place on February 24 at the UMC Conference Center (350 Woodrow Wilson Ave, Jackson, MS). The Greenville L.E.A.D. Conference will take place on February 25 at the Washington County Convention Center (1040 S Raceway Rd, Greenville, MS). The Tupelo L.E.A.D. Conference will take place on February 26 at the Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center (363 East Main St, Tupelo, MS).

For more information on L.E.A.D. 2010 or to register for the conference nearest you, contact Jason Thompson of The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi at 601.898.7194 or jason.thompson@healthy-miss.org.

Generation FREE is a program funded by the Mississippi State Department of Health.

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