MPA/MPS Press Releases

What If…

Mississippi Senate Bill 2623 (SB2623), which creates a felony statute for the malicious and aggravated torture or abuse of dogs and cats, passed in the Mississippi Senate by an overwhelming majority and is now before the House Agriculture and Judiciary B Committees.  This bill is a moderate but effective resolution to an issue that has been debated in the Mississippi Legislature for over a decade.  It contains well-written exemptions for legitimate and incidental acts, while addressing clearly unjustifiable, deliberate and malicious acts of cruelty. This bill has the full support of the Mississippi Psychiatric Association, the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Association and the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police, along with others who understand and are concerned about the relationship between abuse of animals and abuse of vulnerable adults and children.  This legislation will provide the law enforcement community with a tool to identify emerging violent offenders.  In addition to the felony statute, the bill provides the opportunity for the court to order psychiatric evaluation and treatment for the abuser, restitution to the animal owner and restitution to the investigating law enforcement agency.  For youthful offenders in particular, psychiatric treatment is our last opportunity to stop the destructive behavior of malicious animal abuse before it escalates to violence against people. 

All of that said, there are still those who ask “What if?”  What if I hit a dog with my car while driving down the street?  What if I find a dying animal on the side of the road and kill it to put it out of its misery?  What if a dog is chasing, tormenting, or attacking my livestock?  What if I feel threatened by a dog and take action to protect myself?  The answer to all of these “what ifs” is the same. They are all covered in the exemptions within SB2623.  In order to be charged with a felony, you must, with malice, torture, maim, or commit aggravated cruelty against a dog or cat. This is largely a matter of common sense. After all, Mississippi has a misdemeanor cruelty law in place for dogs and cats, but I have yet to see someone convicted of accidentally hitting a dog with his or her car.

Here are the “what ifs” that I don’t hear.  What if someone decides to light their dog on fire because they are angry that she came home after being dumped in the country when she was no longer wanted?  What if someone decides to kill your dogs to exact revenge on you?  What if someone shoots your pet, on your property, because he wants to test out his new gun and see if he can hit your dog from his yard, and then he brags about it in front of his foster children?  What if someone purposely kills your guide dog?  What if someone decides to brutally torture and kill his dog in order to practice and gain confidence to commit a crime against a human being?  What if your estranged boyfriend decides to cut off your cat’s feet and make a keychain out of them or breaks into your home and decapitates your dog in order to “get back at you”?  What if someone breaks into a local animal shelter and beats five dogs to death with a hammer?  What if your neighbor beats your puppy to death with a shovel in front of your child?  What if someone steals your dog and you later find her, bound at the legs with a coat hanger, bloody, mangled, tortured, and dead?  

Sadly, these aren’t just “what ifs.”  They are actual animal cruelty cases in Mississippi over the last few years.   Would they all be felonies?  Maybe or maybe not. A prosecutor and judge would need to determine that based on the merits of the case.  The point is that those prosecutors and judges should have, in the most egregious cases of aggravated torture, the option of a felony charge. 

Having a felony conviction for the most heinous acts of torture isn’t just about putting someone in jail for a longer period of time. It is about ensuring that these people have a felony record so that they cannot get a job working in a school, nursing home, hospital, or anywhere else that would include contact with children or vulnerable adults.  It is about making sure that violent offenders do not possess guns. It is about a parent’s right to protect his or her child from a violent offender who could work in their child’s school because the offender didn’t get a felony conviction, even after committing an egregious act of violence. It is, quite simply, about ensuring community safety.  A first offense felony for animal abuse is a law enforcement and mental health issue.  If our jails are full, sentence these violent offenders to house arrest with ankle monitoring devices, but don’t turn them loose, without a felony record that a potential employer can look up, to work with those who may not have a voice of their own – our children, vulnerable adults, and our pets, These offenders need psychological evaluations, and often, counseling, and SB2623 will provide that option.

The people of Mississippi want the aggravated maiming and torture of dogs and cats to be prosecuted fully in order to protect people from the violent individuals who perpetrate these crimes.  Mississippi’s existing animal cruelty laws related to dogs and cats are inadequate to protect people and pets.  The time to act is TODAY!  Please support SB2623.

Tiffany Frautschi

President, MS-FACT

www.ms-fact.org

For Immediate Release
Contact: Jennifer Beasley, Artistic Director
info@msmetroballet.com
601-853-4508
MISSISSIPPI METROPOLITAN BALLET PRESENTS
“ALICE IN WONDERLAND”
Guest artists from American Ballet Theatre to join company for
March 7 performance at Thalia Mara Hall
February 10, 2010—The Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet, under the direction of Jennifer Beasley,
will present the one-act ballet “Alice in Wonderland” at Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson at 2 pm on March
7. The ballet will feature all original choreography, dazzling sets and costumes, and more than 50
dancers from the metro- Jackson area. Professional guest artists from Amercian Ballet Theatre and
American Ballet Theatre II will also be featured on the program, as will selections of original
choreography from the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet repertoire. A special opportunity to meet the
cast will be offered at The Mad-Hatter’s Tea Party at the Mississippi Museum of Art following the
performance.
The Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet (MMB) is a non-profit regional ballet company that has
made its home in Madison for the past 16 years. The company annually presents “The Nutcracker” at
the Madison Square Center for the Arts and a spring production at Thalia Mara Hall. In 2006 and
2008, the company performed “Cinderella” to rave reviews and record audiences, and in 2009
presented the original ballet “Beauty and the Beast.” MMB is also the only ballet company in
Mississippi who is a member of the Southeast Regional Ballet Association, a division of Regional
Dance America.
Choreographer Jennifer Beasley brings Lewis Carroll’s classic to life in her version of Alice’s
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journey down the rabbit hole to the fanciful world of Wonderland. From the antics of the Cheshire Cat
and the Doormouse, to the frenzy of the Mad-Hatter’s Tea Party, to the Queen of Hearts’ outlandishly
surreal court, the ballet is sure to delight all ages. “My goal has been to make a ballet that, like ‘The
Nutcracker’, will appeal to children but will be equally suited for adults,” says Ms. Beasley.
The one-act “Alice in Wonderland” will comprise the second half of the program. Prior to
intermission, audience members will be treated to a performance of the famous “Don Quixote Pas de
Deux” by guest artists Meaghan Hinkis and Alberto Velazquez from American Ballet Theatre and
American Ballet Theatre II, respectively. Hinkis is the 2009 Helsinki International Ballet Competition
Bronze Medal winner in the Junior Division, and is a graduate of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
School at American Ballet Theatre. After dancing as a member of ABT II for six months, she has been
promoted to a corps de ballet member in American Ballet Theatre. Her partner, Velazquez, hails from
Havana, Cuba and is a Gold Medal winner from the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition. He
has been a member of ABT II since September 2009. Hinkis and Velazquez will also perform an
original contemporary work by choreographer Roger Van Fleteren.
The first half of the March 7 program will also include two original works of choreography
from the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet repertoire: a contemporary work titled “L’acte Royale” by
choreographer Leaia Caver and the neo-classical ballet “Orum” by choreographer Elmarie Wessels.
Featured local dancers in the performance include Erin Ivey, of Madison, in the role of Alice;
Victoria Hunter, of Brandon, as The Queen of Hearts; and MMB alumni Kevin Arredondo, of
Vicksburg, as The White Rabbit, and Dexter Bishop, of Clinton, as The Jabberwocky. Other dancers in
the production are members of the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet and are students in the company’s
affiliated school, The Mississippi Metropolitan Dance Academy.
The Mad-Hatter’s Tea Party will follow the performance next door to Thalia Mara Hall in the
Mississippi Museum of Art. The party will include delectable treats and will also offer the chance to
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meet the dancers and have photos made with the characters from “Alice in Wonderland.”
Tickets for the performance range in price from $13 to $25 and can be purchased online at
www.msmetroballet.com or by calling (601) 853-4508. Tickets to The Mad-Hatter’s Tea Party must be
purchased separately and are $25 each.
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BankPlus presents Rachael Ray in Jackson, MS

JACKSON, MS (Feb. 24, 2010) – Rachael Ray, daytime talk show host, author and Food Network star – just to name a few of her accomplishments, is combining two of her passions, food and healthy living tips, and presenting two live shows at the Mississippi Coliseum, on April 10, 2010, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

In Rachael’s first visit to Jackson, her shows will be packed with great cooking, personal stories, a good time and healthy living tips – focusing on helping parents and children develop a healthy relationship with food. Joining Rachael on stage will be local favorite, Chef Luis Bruno.

BankPlus is joined by additional sponsors Central Mississippi Medical Center, Comcast Spotlight, and Viking. In addition to Rachael’s shows, a gift market, will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and will feature Mississippi businesses offering unique products for browsing and shopping, demonstrations, and sampling.

“We’re very excited to bring Rachael Ray to Jackson for the first time,” said Bill Ray, CEO of BankPlus. “Her warmth, energy, boundless enthusiasm and tips on healthy eating will make this a fun and educational event for all.”

“I am thrilled to be visiting Mississippi to help get kids and parents excited about the food they eat while embracing a healthier lifestyle,” said Ray. “Growing up, my family had a very positive relationship with food and cooking and that relationship helped shape my lifestyle and businesses. I hope that I can pass on my experiences with food and that they will inspire others to make better choices about the food they eat.”

Tickets are now on sale and are available through Ticketmaster and the ticket office at the Mississippi Coliseum. Ticket prices start at $19.50. BankPlus is extending a special offer to receive $5 off your Rachael Ray ticket price. Simply use code “BankPlus” when purchasing your ticket from any of the outlets mentioned.

For more information, call Janna Hughes at 601-573-0221 or email janna@jannahughesadvertising.com. Group Specials are available by contacting Janna Hughes.

About Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray is best known as the host of the hit syndicated Emmy Award winning daytime television show, Rachael Ray, produced by CBS Television Distribution in association with Harpo Productions, Scripps Networks and Watch Entertainment. Rachael’s warmth, energy and boundless curiosity also reaches scores of fans through her popular Food Network shows, like 30-Minute Meals, bestselling cookbooks published by Clarkson Potter, her own line of Rachael Ray cookware created by Meyer, knives by Furitechnics, signature food ingredients by Colavita and lifestyle magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray. In 2007, Rachael launched the Yum-o! organization, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking. For more information, visit www.rachaelray.com.

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Media Contact:
Janna Hughes, Janna Hughes Advertising
(601) 573-0221
janna@jannahughesadvertising.com.

Press Release
Homeowner will protest Senate Insurance Committee Chairman for not allowing a vote on Homeowners Bill of Rights HB563

Contact: 228-343-2245 msinsurancebill@cableone.net www.msbillofrights.com

Long Beach homeowner Kevin Buckel, who lost his home in Hurricane Katrina only to be paid $1000 on his initial homeowner claim, will stage a one man protest in the Senate Lobby on Wednesday February 24th from 10am till 5pm.

Rep. Diane Peranich introduced HB563 Homeowner Bill of Rights for Buckel which improves all homeowners’ rights in the state when buying insurance and filing a claim. The bill passed the House 107-7, but for the 3rd year in a row, Chairman Eugene Clarke will not allow a vote on the Legislation. Buckel believes the insurance lobby is responsible for getting the peoples vote denied.

HB563 would place the Burden of Proof on insurance companies on an exclusion when a claim is denied, which is consistent with a recent court ruling, place reasonable time frames on payment of claims when a claim is approved, 30 day notice on premium increase of 10% or more, and equal treatment when filing a claim based on actuary principles.

These are the same rights that homeowners have in other states that border the Gulf of Mexico but are not afforded to homeowners in MS. Buckel said he is fighting for these rights because they especially protect the poor, elderly and homeowners who do not have the means to fight back when being unfairly treated by an insurance company.

On Tuesday February 16th a staff member from Lt. Governor Phil Bryant’s office contacted Buckel and informed him Chairman Clarke will not allow a vote on HB563. Buckel will protest this decision and has asked the committee members:

Eugene S. Clarke, Chairman; Bennie L. Turner, Vice-Chairman
Members: Terry W. Brown; Deborah Jeanne Dawkins; Bob M. Dearing; Billy Hewes; John Horhn; Kenneth Wayne Jones; Tom King; Dean Kirby; Alan Nunnelee; Michael Watson; Lee Yancey

to stand with him for 15 minutes as a show of support. Not one senator has responded. Buckel said he is especially disappointed in Senator Billy Hewes and coast Senators who has a significant influence in the senate and witnessed firsthand what happened to coast residents after Katrina for not supporting a vote on this legislation. I have also asked Commissioner Mike Chaney and Lt Governor Phil Bryant for support on getting a vote, but they have not responded to help give the people a vote on legislation that helps all homeowners in the state.

Buckel said all I want is a vote. We are starving for some leadership, and the leaders in the Senate and Commissioner Chaney are failing the people.

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

2nd Annual Tapestry: The Pilgrimage to Vicksburg

VICKSBURG, MS: 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 Bazsinsky 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 looking forward to 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.

DeeGardner; 601-896-3884

deegardner@comcast.net

DATE: February 18, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Museum to Host 7^th Annual Fossil Road Show on Saturday, March 6, 2010

Public invited to get expert opinions on their fossils’ ages and identities at annual event

Jackson, Miss. – Pack up your fossils and hit the road! The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science invites you to bring your favorite fossils and get expert opinions about their ages and identities from our team of scientists at the 7^th Annual Fossil Road Show on Saturday, March 6 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. There is no fee, other than regular Museum admission, to attend the event and reservations are not required.

• Fossils from the Museum collection will be on display, activities on interesting fossil subjects will be offered, and the Museum will feature one of its’ newest fossils – the thigh bone of a duck-billed dinosaur found near New Albany, MS. The fossil is the largest (at three feet long) and most complete dinosaur bone in the Museum’s collection.

• Who knows what might turn up this year? In late 2007, a young boy brought a fossil he found at the Ross Barnett Reservoir to Paleontology Curator George Phillips, who identified the fossil, which was the size of the boy’s palm, as a fossil shark tooth of a 30 foot Carcharocles auriculatus (eared big-tooth shark) from the Eocene epoch, about 35 to 34 million years old!

The museum is located at 2148 Riverside Drive in Jackson. Call 601.354.7303 or visit www.msnaturalscience.org for more information about this event and other programs offered by the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. The Museum is part of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Museum Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday: 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Admission: $5 adults; $3 children ages 3-18; $4 senior citizens (60+); free for children under 3; free for Museum Members; school teachers with classes: call for group information.

News Release February 10, 2010
For More Information Contact: Tina Bruno @ schoolcalendarcoalition@gmail.com February 10, 2010 — An organized parent group, Save Mississippi Summers, today praised the work of the House of Representatives in setting a school start date no earlier than September 1st for K-12 public school students saying the legislation is good for education, good for families and good for local and state economies. The amendment setting a school-start date no earlier than September 1st was added to House Bill 624 on Monday and passed the last House hurdle today. The amendment was offered by Rep. Mark Formby (R) Pearl River and passed on a vote of 65 to 54. During a House of Representatives informal education committee meeting Rep. Diane Peranich (D) spoke in favor of the measure and emphasized the importance of generating more money for the state to better fund public education. “If we are going to continue increasing test scores we must give our teachers more tools to work with,” Perancih said. “Other states have proven starting the school year later doesn’t harm education yet it has boost their local and state tax collections and research shows it will do the same in Mississippi. We owe it to our children to set a school calendar that will give them the educational tools they need to succeed.” The group says that while critics of school start date laws often resort to scare tactics in trying to defeat legislative efforts, they are standing without data to support them. Editor’s Note: For more information go to www.SaveMississippiSummers.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Scot Slay
February 5, 2010 Office: (601) 944-4175
Email: sslay@ecd.org

New TARP Initiative Supports Small Business Lending from CDFIs
ECD/HOPE Made Significant Contributions to Program Design

On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner outlined the details of a new program under the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) that will provide Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) with up to $1 billion to make more loans to small businesses in some of the communities hit hardest by the economic crisis.

CDFIs are financial institutions that works in markets that are underserved by traditional financial institutions. CDFIs are certified by the Department of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund, and offer a wide range of traditional and innovative financial products and services designed to help their customers access the financial system, build wealth and improve their lives and the communities in which they live.

ECD/HOPE (Enterprise Corporation of the Delta/Hope Community Credit Union) is one of the nation’s leading CDFIs. Since 1994, the nonprofit has generated more than $1 billion in financing for entrepreneurs, homebuyers, and community development projects, and directly benefitted more than 70,000 individuals in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

“ECD/HOPE has been providing financing for small businesses and other community needs for more than 15 years. During that time, we’ve demonstrated an ability to lend responsibly in areas that lack access to affordable financial services,” said Bill Bynum, ECD/HOPE CEO. “This experience enabled us to work closely with Treasury officials to develop this program. We look forward to using these resources to stabilize businesses and stimulate economic growth in the Mid South.”

Many of the large banks that received funding from TARP did not increase their lending. CDFIs have been seeking access to TARP assets with the intention of boosting their lending and addressing the critical need for financing among small businesses in economically distressed areas throughout the country.

ECD/HOPE plans to seek TARP funds to make more loans to businesses such as Open Arms After Hours Child Enrichment Center in Monroe, Louisiana. Owner Chloris Faulkner loves children and saw a significant need for a place where working families could access childcare services during extended hours. “ECD/HOPE was recommended to me by a friend who had started a business with a loan. When I went to see them, they really listened to what I was trying to do for my community” said Faulkner. “And they were very patient: we had been working on this project for several years. ECD/HOPE really made me feel like I mattered and the business was important.” Construction is underway on the Open Arms facility, where there will be 12 jobs caring for as many as 63 children.

Following a meeting with Members of Congress and leaders of CDFIs to discuss ways Treasury can encourage job growth in the country’s hardest-hit communities, Secretary Geithner announced the TARP initiative to provide lower-cost capital to CDFIs. The announcement fulfills a commitment made by President Obama in October to create such a program and comes after extensive consultation with small businesses and CDFIs across the country.

“This program that you’re seeing us lay out today is a very powerful way to try to make sure that we’re starting to open up some of the credit channels for businesses in parts of the country where it’s most needed and where we think there’s going to be a very, very high return,” Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said during Wednesday’s announcement.

MISSISSIPPI BLUES TRAIL LICENSE PLATES ARE NOW AVAILABLE

INDIANOLA, MS - After working for almost two years to get Mississippi Blues Trail license plates approved by the state legislature, pre-sold to meet the required minimum, in production, and available at the local tax assessors’ offices, members of the Mississippi Blues Foundation can finally see the fruits of their labor. “We had a Blues Trail marker unveiling in Benoit this week, and it was a great feeling to see several vehicles there with the new tags,” said Janet Webb, a member of the Miss. Blues Foundation. Luther Brown, who is also a member of the Blues Foundation and a major proponent of the license plates, attended the unveiling and echoed the sentiments of Webb. They explained that it had not necessarily been an easy sell early on when they were trying to get people to commit to purchase a tag, not knowing exactly when they would reach the magic number of 200 to satisfy the minimum requirement. There were also people who wanted to wait until closer to the time that their current tags would expire.

These specialty tags cost $31 extra, with $24.50 of that going to the Miss. Blues Foundation to help fund its projects, including aid for older musicians as well as helping with expenses of the Miss. Blues Trail marker program. Brown, who is the director of the Delta Center at Delta State University, conducts many bus and blues tours throughout the year and knows how important the exposure of the Blues Trail is to visitors to the state. “It’s like a miniature billboard,” Brown said. “Someone may see the tag and start asking questions about the Trail, and it gives us a great opportunity to tell the person about our musical heritage and how proud we are of that,” he continued.

Now that the license plates are in production, anyone interested in having one can order it from their tax assessor’s office. It typically takes from seven to ten days to receive it after the order is placed. Webb thinks that the final product was worth the wait. “I’ve had many people call me and tell me how proud they are to finally have it on their car,” she said.