MPA/MPS Press Releases

With the Mississippi River set to crest in Vicksburg on Thursday at 50.5 feet, Vicksburg tour boat company Mississippi River Tours is offering passengers an up close view of the floods.

Trees that normally line the banks of the river are barely visible. Casinos that usually float in their own culverts are actually floating on the river. Sunsets are going down over water instead of trees, and the heavy barge and tugboat traffic that defines the Mississippi River has almost stopped.

Vicksburg residents and tourists have not seen the river this high since 1973. Tour boat owner, Ann Jones, says, “Passengers are just amazed at the width of the river and the volume of water that is flowing downstream. Local residents are taking advantage of being able to get onto the river during the flood, and tourists are able to go home and tell interesting stories about their ride on the Mississippi River during the historic 2008 flood.”

The river will take quite a while to get back to its normal levels. But as the Mississippi River crests and falls, boat tours showing passengers a different angle of the floods will continue to amaze. Scheduling and information regarding a Mississippi River tour out of Vicksburg can be found at www.msrivertours.com or by calling toll free 1-866-807-2628.

Contact Information:

Ann Jones
Cell 601-415-0596
Office 601-883-1083
info@msrivertours.com

MISSISSIPI DRUG CARD
www.mississippidrugcard.com

JACKSON, MS. — The Mississippi Drug Card Program announced today that more than 29,074 Mississippians have received a FREE prescription drug card since the Mississippi Drug Card program launched December 12th. The program’s website www.mississippidrugcard.com has had over 439,630 hits in that time. Members have processed a staggering 22,348 prescriptions saving an average of 30% off their medications!

“The public response to this program has been overwhelming!” states Mississippi Drug Card Program Director, Lila Cedotal. “With total savings already over $360,000, this program is a true testament to the people of Mississippi needing help with their medication costs.” As the first of its kind, Mississippi Drug Card is a free prescription drug benefit which helps consumers to access prescriptions they need at the lowest available cost. This non-profit program was launched to help the uninsured and under-insured people of Mississippi afford their prescription medications. However, the program can also be used by people who have health insurance coverage with no prescription benefits (which is common in many HSA’s and high deductible health plans). Additionally, people who have prescription coverage can use this program for non-formulary or non-covered drugs. The Mississippi Drug Card can also be used by those individuals who do not qualify for public funded programs (I.e. Medicaid and Medicare) and by people who receive their medicines through charity care providers (under 340B, a federally funded program which grants discounts to providers) and require a drug that is not available to them. This program even covers some pet medications (medications that are available at participating pharmacies). The Mississippi Drug Card program has no restrictions or participation requirements and the program is open to every resident of Mississippi.

This free prescription card is available online for everyone in Mississippi by simply going to www.mississippidrugcard.com and printing a card. Residents with no access to the internet can receive the discount at an FRED’S pharmacy. The card is also being given out by some hospitals, doctors’ offices and clinics. Employers are also encouraged to offer the Mississippi Drug Card program to their employees as an added benefit with discounts on prescription products as well as discounts on eyeglasses, contacts, LASIK surgery, hearing exams, hearing aids, and many more discount services.

Every Mississippi resident is eligible to participate in the Mississippi Drug Card Program, regardless of age or income. Whether users have insurance has no bearing on the card’s ability to save them money. There are no restrictions to membership and no applications to fill out. Most major pharmacies, as well as thousands of independent pharmacies, accept the card. A complete list of participating pharmacies in your area can be found on the website www.mississippidrugcard.com. Participating pharmacies include the following: FRED’S, Kmart, Winn-Dixie, Rite Aid as well as many other chain drug stores and thousands of independent pharmacies.

This program is powered by UNA Rx Card, which is a division of United Networks of America. “It is exciting to know that we have brought over $109 million in prescription savings to our members around the country since the program’s inception!” says EVP Brian Oliver. UNA Rx Card is the fastest growing discount prescription card company in the United States. UNA Rx Card has set up similar programs to the Mississippi Drug Card in New York, California, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Iowa and Tennessee.

For more information, press only:
Lila Cedotal, Mississippi Drug Card- Program Director
Phone: 800-726-4232
E-mail: lila@mississippidrugcard.com

For more information on the Mississippi Drug Card Program: www.mississippidrugcard.com

For more information contact:
Mary Woodward, Communications
601-960-8475
601-750-0481
mary.woodward@jacksondiocese.org

Over 100 people from all over the Diocese of Jackson will be traveling to the Papal Masses in Washington and New York, when Pope Benedict XVI visits the United States April 15-20. Among them is a group of students and faculty from Ole Miss.

Bishop Joseph Latino and retired Bishop William Houck will be concelebrants at both Masses and will participate in several meetings with the pope during his stay.

Rev. Ricardo Phipps, from Christ the King and St. Mary Parishes in Jackson will be helping with the distribution of Communion at the Mass in New York at Yankee Stadium on April 20.

According to Mary Woodward, diocesan director of communications, the Archdiocese of New York allotted the Diocese of Jackson 100 tickets for the Mass. Tickets were distributed to people on a first come first serve basis. The diocese did not coordinate any travel arrangements for those going.

“We had to have our final list of names turned in to the archdiocese on Feb. 15. The security measures they are taking are very strict,” said Woodward.

“Through the generosity of several people in the diocese, we were able to provide tickets for five New York-based Missionary Sisters of Charity (Mother Teresa’s order), who were unable to get tickets in New York.

Those five Sisters will be sitting with our people in the right field bleachers on Sunday at Yankee Stadium,” Woodward added.

About 25 people from the diocese will be attending the Mass in Washington on Thursday, April 17. Fewer tickets were offered to the Diocese of Jackson for this Mass and originally it was not known if any would be available due to final construction on the Washington Nationals Stadium.

“The response of the people going from our diocese has been very inspiring. Many of them see this as a once in a lifetime opportunity and are making a real pilgrimage out of their trip,” said Bishop Joseph Latino. “As a Catholic, it is not everyday you get to participate in a Mass celebrated by the pope. It is my hope and prayer that this will be a unique and beautiful spiritual experience for them,” he added.

In Washington, the Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, April 17, at 10 a.m. at the new Nationals Park, which is expected to accommodate 46,000 people. In tune with the season of Easter and Pentecost, the readings will speak about hope and the Holy Spirit. There will be readings in English and Spanish, and the general intercessions, also known as Prayers of the Faithful, will include petitions in the Igbo, Korean, Vietnamese and Tagalog languages as well.

The music program for the Mass will reflect a variety of musical styles, from traditional Latin and English hymns to other modern rhythms in several languages. Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo and American mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves are expected to sing at the Mass along with four different choirs totaling 570 members from across the Archdiocese of Washington.

New York’s Yankee Stadium will accommodate approximately 57,000 participants for the Mass on Sunday, April 20, the last day of Pope Benedict’s visit. Mass is set to start at 2:30 p.m. It will have an especially celebratory tone as it commemorates the bicentennial anniversary of the foundation of four U.S. dioceses, including Boston, Louisville, Philadelphia and, the host, the Archdiocese of New York, as well as the 200th anniversary of the Baltimore’s designation as the first U.S. archdiocese. These dioceses as well as those immediately neighboring the Big Apple will have the largest representation at the Mass.

The readings for the Mass will be those corresponding to the Fifth Sunday of Easter. They will be proclaimed in English and Spanish and the Prayers of the Faithful will be offered in several languages. More than 550 priests and clergy will distribute Communion at Yankee Stadium.

Show My Game, Showmygame.com, the hottest and most exciting sports video website has officially been named the title sponsor of the annual Mississippi Governor’s Cup.

The Governor’s Cup, formerly known as the Mayor’s Cup, continues to be the most competitive rivalry between Ole Miss and Mississippi State for the past 27 years.

The Show My Game Governor’s Cup will be held at Trustmark Park on April 15, 2008 in Pearl, MS.

The MS Numismatic Association Coin Show and Convention will hold its annual coin show and convention in Jackson, MS at the MS Fair Grounds Trade Mart Building on Saturday and Sunday, April 12 & 13, 2008. Visit the MNA web site at www.misscoin.com for directions and additional information.

“Jackson offers our association a central location that is convenient for the majority of our membership, and the Trade Mart facility has allowed us to expand our exhibitors and dealers”, said Darrell Beeson, MNA President. “This show and event was held on the MS Gulf Coast for years, but Hurricane Katrina has caused our leadership to relocate the show, and Jackson seemed the logical choice”, Beeson added. The 2007 show was also held in Jackson.

This 47th Annual event is the premier coin show in the Deep South for the month of April. It will attract hundreds of coin collecting enthusiast and over 80 dealers from across the country ready to meet the needs of the collecting public. Free appraisals of numismatic material, free numismatic publications, buying and selling coins & currency, and the availability to view thousands of coins that trace the linage of U. S. coinage over the past three centuries, are just a few of the opportunities that await attendees. Admission is free and the public is cordially invited. Hours include 9:00 a. m. – 5:00 p. m. daily, Saturday – Sunday.

“If you have any interest in the hobby of coin/currency collecting or related areas, this is an event that you don’t want to miss”, says MNA Secretary Everett Sorrells. “An MNA membership table will be on the floor for those who might want to join the MS Numismatic Association or just receive more information about other opportunities for involvement in the hobby”, Sorrells added.

Catholic Diocese of Jackson
P.O. Box 2248
Jackson, MS 39225-2248

FROM: Mary Woodward
Communications Office
O: 601-960-8475
C: 601-750-0481

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF JACKSON PROMOTING CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH

WASHINGTON/JACKSON —Catholic dioceses nationwide will promote Child Abuse Awareness Month in April. Plans call for raising awareness through special prayers during Sunday Masses, diocesan and parish lectures, and other educational activities.

Child Abuse Awareness is a major initiative of the Catholic Church in the United States. As a result an estimated 1.6 millions persons have undergone background checks; 1.8 million priests, deacons, candidates for ordination, educators, employees and volunteers have gone through safe environment programs and approximately 6 million children in parish school and religious education programs have received age-appropriate instruction in this area.

The diocesan and parish efforts were urged by the U.S. bishops’ Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People. It provided educational materials, homily resources, prayer cards, intercessory prayers, posters and other materials to each of the 195 dioceses in the United States. Dioceses are providing information via their Web sites and through distribution of prevention and awareness materials to all parishes and schools.

“We can never rest when it comes to protecting children and teenagers,” said Bishop Gregory Aymond, Committee chairman. “The prevalence of child abuse in our society calls for vigilance of parents, pastors, teachers, indeed, all responsible adults. Child Abuse Prevention Month deserves our attention in both prayer and action.”

The Catholic Diocese of Jackson, Office of Protection of Children, monitors and facilitates the ongoing screening and training programs for all adults who work in programs for our children and youth in both schools and parishes.

“At the present time, we have 4,556 adults in active ministry with young people who have undergone background checks and an initial training in the Diocese’s Protection of Children Program,” stated Vickie Carollo, director of the office for the Jackson diocese.

“Since October of 2002, many of these individuals have also participated in ongoing reviews of material focused on providing safe environments when working with children/youth in parishes and schools.  There were 7,692 children/youth instructed in age-appropriate self-protection skills in 2006-2007. The Office of Protection of Children continues to review new materials for both adults and children/youth in order to provide parishes and schools with up-to-date and appropriate training in providing safe environments,” Carollo said.

Carollo has sent child abuse prevention and awareness information to all parishes and schools in the Jackson diocese, requesting that the information be used in their liturgies and bulletins during April and throughout the year.

“As we mark Child Abuse Prevention month in April during this beautiful Easter season, let us celebrate all that is done in our communities, our nation and our world to protect our most valuable gift from God – our children,” Carollo concluded.

The resource materials sent to dioceses were developed by the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection and underwritten by the Catholic Communication Campaign, which is supported by a collection taken up annually in parishes to support church media efforts. The resource material is available at http://usccb.org/ocyp/april_cap_month.shtml. Or visit the Diocese of Jackson’s web site – www.jacksondiocese.org  – and click on the Child Abuse Prevention link.

MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

The 89th Annual Convention of the Mississippi Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc. (also known as Mississippi PTA) will meet in Natchez, Mississippi on April 18-19, 2008 at the Natchez Convention Center.

Parental involvement is an essential ingredient in Mississippi ’s efforts to improve our public schools and our students’ academic performance. The MSPTA Convention will provide the tools needed to make a positive difference in in the lives of children. The Mississippi PTA has encouraged parent leadership at the local and state level since its inception in 1909.

Nationally recognized school leadership trainer Ako Kambon will kick off the Convention Friday morning (April 18 – 9 a.m.) as the keynote speaker. Mr. Kambon is president of Visionary Leaders Institute, and is known around the country as a leader in the field of educational consulting, cultural sensitivity training, and designing and conducting leadership seminars for public and private school systems.

Mississippi PTA is a vital part of the largest and most effective grassroots child advocacy group in the nation. For more than 100 years National PTA has been the premiere advocacy group for America’s children. For almost 100 years, MSPTA worked to make a positive difference in the lives of all Mississippi children.

Workshops on Friday afternoon will include grant writing, dropout prevention, closing the achievement gap, cyber bullying, obesity and health related issues, legislative matters, mentoring, new officer training and arts education, to name a few.

Miss Mississippi Kimberly Morgan will speak at the Friday evening (April 18 – 6:30 p.m.) Membership and Awards Banquet. PTA units from across the state will be recognized for meeting and exceeding their membership goals.

On Saturday morning (April 19 – 9 a.m.), the Reflections program will showcase and recognize students from across the state in the cultural arts. A first time youth involvement workshop will follow with college students from across the nation leading the dialogue.

The MSPTA Convention is an opportunity to celebrate the hard work that PTA parents do all school year to strengthen Mississippi ’s public schools. Your continued support of the children of our great state is appreciated. All supporters of public education are invited to this historic event!

Mississippi Parent Information Resource Center (Ms PIRC) will conduct workshops designed to empower parents as they identify needed resources. UniPerk, Inc. of Cypress, Texas will conduct website design workshops for interested PTA units. Dr. John Jordan will lead the discussion on Effecting Changes in Education. Senator Bob Dearing, Representative Robert Johnson, Adams County Supervisor Darryl Grennel will present legislative matters. Ashleigh K. Irving (FAMU) and Carita Winn (Xavier University) will facilitate a youth involvement workshop entitled “Introduction to College Life”.

National PTA representatives Nore Hare and Linda Sterling will join Dr. Samuel White , Mrs. Charm Powell, Mr. Thaddues Peters, Mr. Charles Orr and other presenters to make this Convention both motivational and informative.

If you have any questions, please contact the Convention Chair (Mrs. Deloris Irving) at 601-445-4679 or the MS PTA office at 1-800-795-6123.

Casino College of Mississippi, Inc. recently opened its third campus in Vicksburg, Mississippi.  Casino College is licensed by the Mississippi Gaming Commission as a dealer training school for the casinos, and is headquartered at the main campus in Tunica, Mississippi, and has branch campuses in Greenville and Vicksburg.

Rob Smith, Vice President of Casino College, is “eager to work with the Vicksburg, MS gaming industry which includes  Ameristar Casino, Diamond Jacks, Horizon Casino, Rainbow Casino, as well as the River Walk Casino which is currently under construction.

Training classes for all table games will begin on April 7.  All students must obtain a student license from the Mississippi Gaming Commission before beginning classes.  Due to the increased number of applications, it may take in excess of two weeks to obtain a gaming badge.  All interested parties are urged to contact Casino College at 1619 Walnut Street in Vicksburg, or call 601-661-6461.

A second campus is located in Greenville, Mississippi. According to Vice President, Rob Smith, “Our Greenville campus opened in July, and we have successfully trained over 90 students who have been hired by the local casinos.”

Casino College is proud to be the largest dealer training school in the state with 3 campuses:  Tunica, Greenville, and Vicksburg.  The Tunica campus can be reached at 662-363-3300, and the Greenville campus at 662-335-1150.

Show My Game, LLC has announced the official launch of their website. After eighteen months of research and development, Show My Game is to unveil the newest and greatest sports video website available. ShowMyGame.com specializes in allowing any individual to show off and broadcast their talents and skills, aka “Game”.

Founded in Mississippi by two native Mississippians, this company plans to allow all individuals world-wide, no matter what their sport or “Game“ is, to show off what they’ve got.  For the latest information and news on this amazing website visit them at www.showmygame.com and create your free online account today.

Readers reign when it comes to Mississippi Magazine’s annual “Best of Mississippi” awards. Every year the voices of the people are heard all over the Magnolia State as they vote for the places and things that they love most—from favorite spots to eat and shop to favorite arts and entertainment venues and most-enjoyed day trip destinations. This year the contest has 90 categories, including several new areas! The three main topics are–seeking out, dining out, and getting out and will include everything from the best golf course to the best waterfront destination, to the best place to find an art treasure and the best place to ruin your diet.

The results of the fourth-annual survey will be announced in the 2008 July/August issue as well as on the magazine’s web site at www.mississippimagazine.com. Ballots are available in the March/April issue on pages 42-43 or may be found at www.mississippimagazine.com. The deadline for entries is May 15, 2008.

Ten names will be randomly drawn from the ballots received, and each winner will receive a signed copy of Mississippi Magazine’s cookbook, At the Table with Patty Roper, and a choice of the magazines signed and numbered artist series prints, a $90 value.

Mississippi Magazine is available on newsstands or by subscription at a rate of $24 per year. For more information, call (601) 982-8418 or (800) 844-8418 or visit www.mississippimagazine.com.