Day: May 23, 2018

Hancock County’s Newest Red Headed Step Child

Yesterday the Sun Herald asked a very interesting question:

How did the Bay mayor’s son get hired for $115K at Hancock jail? It’s complicated ~ Paul Hampton

Of course when an AG’s opinion is issued and is then rescinded everyone has to get in on the act:

AG’s office rescinds negative opinion, Hancock jail clinic back in business ~ Cassandra Favre

Lost in the story of Hancock County’s newest whipping boy is how the jail went from having its own medical staff to contracting with Health Assurance, LLC under the previous Sups and Sheriff, a company that was involved in passing out bribes in the Chris Epps MDOC scandal to Quality Correction Health Care, Inc. the company that took over for Health Assurance, LLC and now back to its own staff. That story is at least somewhat interesting.

If Casey Favre were unqualified to handle his new job, like former Hancock County Library Executive Director Courtney Thomas, who told some gigantic whoppers in at least one public meeting about her qualifications, I guess we’d be riled up here at Slabbed but since he is a health care professional, it must be his last name alone that has earned him the media’s ire. Worse yet, from a clusterf*ck perspective Favre doesn’t even have the race card to play. That said the Board of Sups could have done a much better job handling this whole deal.

The AG’s opinion at the center of this latest dust up is presented below: Continue reading “Hancock County’s Newest Red Headed Step Child”

Other Voices | Lana Noonan: Bay Waveland Schools Lag in Four Year Graduation Rates

According to the Mississippi Department of Education “Four Year Graduation Rates” determine the high school completion status four years after students enter 9th grade for the first time.

In February of this year (2018) the State released the Four Year Graduation Rates for students who have been tracked since 2013-14 school year and expected to graduate this year (2018).

Here are the rankings of the 12 Coast School Districts from No. 1 to No. 12 achievement status for keeping students in school, and helping them achieve a high school diploma.

FOUR YEAR GRADUATION RATES OF COAST SCHOOL DISTRICTS

NO. 1 OCEAN SPRINGS—90.7%
NO. 2. JACKSON COUNTY–89.1%
NO. 3. GULFPORT——–87.6%
NO. 4. PASCAGOULA——87.3%
NO. 5. LONG BEACH——87.2%
NO. 6. PASS CHRISTIAN- 87.1%
NO. 7 POPLARVILLE—–86.7%
NO. 8 HARRISON COUNTY-85.5%
NO. 9 BILOXI———-83.2%
NO. 10 HANCOCK COUNTY–82.8%
NO. 11 BAY-WAVELAND—-81.6%
NO. 12 MOSS POINT——70.4%

I was concerned enough with the status of our two elementary schools in the Bay-Waveland District with North Bay rated a “C” campus, and Waveland a “D” by the State Department of Education.

When I read this report on the State Department website, it was heart sinking.

Our new Superintendent has her work cut out for her. We have spent a lot of tax payer dollars on brick, mortar, sod, bleachers, scoreboards, and asphalt, legal fees, and high end administrative salaries in the last four years–in the millions. Continue reading “Other Voices | Lana Noonan: Bay Waveland Schools Lag in Four Year Graduation Rates”

Other Voices | Tom Callaghan: Adelson and Murdoch

Posted on May 21, 2018

If it was a boxing match, they’d stop it. Two Jewish octogenarians, Sheldon Adelson and Rupert Murdoch, are beating the jack crap out of decades of American policy and tradition that has had the US pursuing peace as a first option, keeping commitments, and supporting those that have supported us.

In its place, Adelson and Murdoch are substituting an Israel-centric screw our-real allies, no peace with any mideast country without Israel’s permission “policy” that makes the US position in the world a shadow of what presidents of both parties have created and maintained since World War ll.

But Adelson and Murdoch are not President you say. Trump is. True, but without Adelson and Murdoch, Trump cannot survive. Tump knows it and Adelson and Murdoch know it. They are in the catbird seat. They’ve turned Trump into their useful idiot.

First, lets be clear on who is an ally and who isn’t. Scripture tells us, “no greater love hath a man than he lay down his life for his friends.” If Scripture is not your cup of tea, try common sense. Those who will fight and die for you are your allies those who won’t aren’t. The proposition speaks for itself.

When we were hit on 9/11 our allies joined us as we pursued the perpetrators in Afghanistan. Twenty nine countries put troops on the ground and suffered fatalities helping us. Major contributions were made by the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, New Zealand, and Australia. Even little Belgium had troops on the ground and lost a soldier. Jordan, an Arab country, lost two. Unknown to most, even Iran helped us right after 9/11 laying the foundation for our installing Hamid Karzai as Afghanistan president.

As usual, Israel was of no help. Since the country’s formation in 1948, Israel has received more money from the US than any other country and has never put a soldier at risk with us. Israel’s excuse for non-participation is that the Arabs would be upset if the Jewish state were to join in battle with or against them. Continue Reading…….