Medicaid talk continues

BY Fredie Carmichael
editor@themeridianstar.com

For those of you following the Medicaid issue, you may have noticed a story about Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant discussing the possibility of an October(ish) special session ... and how a possible vote on a tobacco tax increase may be included in that call.
The lieutenant governor's office said Bryant is not proposing an increase on the tobacco tax as a cure-all for Medicaid. But Bryant believes an increase in the tobacco tax is likely. The governor's tax study commission is expected to release its report by the end of the month. That report is expected to include a proposal to raise the tax on tobacco products. Gov. Haley Barbour has said he, too, expects the commission to propose such an increase ... and he said he wouldn't oppose it.
The revenue the tax generates, however, will be a hot topic in Jackson this fall. Word on the street is that a proposal may soon surface that would include at least a portion of that new revenue to be used to fund Medicaid.
I'm sure other lawmakers have other plans on how to use it. All that should make for an interesting fall. Oh yeah, and there are some elections going on, too.
While the governor's plan to solve Medicaid by bypassing the Legislature seemed to do the trick, the buzz around the state capitol is that the issue is far from dead. Some hospitals are already complaining that the governor's proposal will hurt them too much.
We'll see how that shakes out.

NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS

Sandra Hammon
communityallianceforaction@gmail.com


The Olympics aren't just in China this year. They are in every neighborhood in America. Kids living their dreams of one day being a Michael Phelps or Natalie Coughlin. People who were once 'neighborhood kids'
with Olympic dreams that took them to heights only their imagination could see are still there.

To obtain anything close to these athletic abilities, it has to start in childhood and be nurtured not only by parents and coaches, but by the child's own ambition. The child's self confidence and belief in themselves has to be there, or no amount of 'you can do it' will matter.

I have to wonder how many future Olympians we have right here in Meridian. How many neighborhood kids wonder if they could possibly someday be the one to swim the fastest or jump the highest. We probably won't know until these children achieve something which merits worth mentioning. The sad thing is, there are many who will never hear, "good job!". Their environment simply doesn't allow it. It's these neighborhood kids who need to be encouraged in order to build their self-esteem.

So, when you see a neighborhood kid riding a bike or shooting hoops on the curbside, give them a thumbs up. Encourage them by acknowledging the effort. It only takes a moment, but the child remembers it all day. Maybe even for a lifetime. Who knows, you just might be looking at a one day Olympic super star.

A Sewer Situation

I have a friend who is having a serious sewage problem with the city of Meridian.This problem has been happening for many years,ten at least.This friend of mine owns the Best Western Motel on the south frontage road in Meridian.For years he has had backups from the sewer,especially after a good rain.He's made many requests,sent many letters,to the city,to the MSDEQ,requesting the problem be solved.He has photos,videos,of the sewer lines boiling out from under the manhole covers on Sowashee Street,directly behind his motel.This is after the rains so it's very easy to realize that there is storm water flooding the sewer lines.Remember this has been happening for years,no relief yet from the city of Meridian.
His family has paid all taxes pertaining to the Hotel/Motel business...plus the restaurant taxes involved there also. For just the last five years,03-07,his taxes amounted to $557,781.00 for the motel,$205,462.00,for the restaurant.This does not include property taxes.
This same family has been paying all required taxes for this property for close to a hundred years,forty years on the Motel alone. Now...I've said all this to let folks know that it's time for the city of Meridian to live up to their part and fix the sewer problems there...and reimburse the family for the many refunds they have had to make because of the cities refusal to repair the problem.

As a side note,the new Drury Inn under construction with new infrastructure has no taxes to pay for seven years. Somehow this sets kinda sideways with folks that do have to pay 'em,don't you think?
Life gets teejus round here.....

Raymond Huffmaster

Meridian at the Olympics

By Steve Gillespie
sgillespie@themeridianstar.com

At the Summer Olympic Games Peavey audio products manufactured in Meridian and Decatur are providing sound at many of the venues, including the new Beijing National Stadium where opening ceremonies will be held tonight.

More than 600 amplifiers from Crest Audio, a division of Peavey Electronics, will power the Olympic opening ceremonies and other Olympic venues.

Read more about it in Saturday's issue of The Meridian Star.

Rodeo Time

Ben Shults
bfshults8@gmail.com


The Ralph Morgan Rodeo will be held this Friday and Saturday, August 8-9, at the Ralph Morgan Arena. The arena is located just off of Hwy 45 North in Lauderdale, MS, and the show starts at 7:30pm both nights. Admission is $10 for adults and $6 for children under 12.

NOISE ORDINANCE ENFORCED

Sandra Hammon
communityallianceforaction@gmail.com



This past weekend we were in McComb, MS., and noticed what a nice, quiet little town it is. Quiet in a way that makes it peaceful for those who like to walk outside their door and not be met by the 'noises of the street' or the overbearing music of a neighbor. We all need to feel that our home is our sanctuary away from the things which we have to face when going out into the world.

As we toured the downtown area, I noticed a sign. Asking my son to back up so I could see it, I read it again to make sure. 'NOISE ORDINANCE ENFORCED'
There it was. Something many Meridianites have been asking about for quite some time.

For those who consistently break this noise ordinance it is a simple reminder that there are consequences for the lack of respect in our every day lives. It seemed to make a difference in McComb. There was an air of respect in the community which I feel we could use here in Meridian.

Having a "green city" and being awarded an "artist-crafted tree figurine" is nice, but having a respectful community where we all care about one another is also important. It's not much. Just unimpressive signs. But for being a reminder about a noise ordinance, they speak very loudly.

The Neshoba County Fair after hours

Jennifer Jacob
jjacob@themeridianstar.com

2008 was my first year to visit the Neshoba County Fair, and I have to admit that during the daytime it was not my cup of tea. My main gripe - it was just too hot and humid. I tried to visit cabins and enjoy company and food, and there were plenty of both, but the blazing sunlight was so oppressive I just didn't enjoy either. My brain and my body were both in going in slow motion, and just the idea of consuming hot food in the already killer heat was completely out of the question. I met some interesting people, but I couldn't help thinking that I'd rather have met them somewhere cooler, less dirty, somewhere that didn't smell like livestock.

The Neshoba County Fair at night was a much nicer experience. With the sun absent and the temperature down I was able to focus on the company and unique fair culture rather than how uncomfortable I was. The fair at night is like an entire small town with 600 different parties going on, side by side, at once.

I spent Wednesday evening at the cabin of Neshoba County musician Daniel Sharp and his family. Meridianites may have heard Daniel and David Lauderdale play at the Echo Lounge as "All Around Hounds". But no one was playing guitar or singing at Daniel's cabin that night - they were too busy playing cacho.

Cacho is a Bolivian dice game brought to Neshoba County by two former Peace Corps workers. I'm not sure exactly how the game works, but I'm told that Yahtzee is loosely based on it, and I know that cacho players take it very seriously. During the tournament at Daniel's cabin Wednesday, the players were virtually unaware of everything that was happening around them - their minds were on winning the tournament. The party at their cabin was far from alcohol-free, but the cacho players seemed not to notice the people hollering and falling down around them. If they weren't rolling dice, they may as well have not been there.

The people who had already lost the tournament were a bit more interesting to non-cacho players like myself. At least as hospitable as the people I met during the daytime, no one at Daniel's cabin treated anyone else like a stranger, and everyone went out of their way to make sure everyone else was comfortable and content.

I found the fair at night to be much more relaxed than during the day. The heat was beaten, the huge meals eaten, and everyone was ready to relax and have fun.