Moving the MS School for the Arts

Sid Salter has a nice editoral in the Clarion Ledger discussing HB 1555 and how it has two major supporters in Democratic committee chairmen who advocate moving the Mississippi School for the Arts to Mississippi University for Women and combining this school for youngsters with talent the Mississippi School for Math and Science. I am unclear if the two would be merged or if they would just be more centrally located as in being on the same campus but it is interesting none the less.

Legislative Update

Couple of things I wanted touch on out of the Legislature earlier in this session.

1. The House has already passed a bill, HB 364, that raises the tax on Cigarettes in Mississippi to $1. This CL article discusses the passage and some of the Senate sentiment with the probable outcome being some sort of raise in tax but not the entire $1 in HB 364. I, personally, am a fan of raising the tax and hope this just doesn't become a political football that engenders trading of favors and votes on other issues.

2. The Greenwood Commonwealth has a nice little writeup on a bill that would create a greater Homestead Exemption for seniors and how that would impact counties, specifically Leflore County.

3. The CL also has a discussion of possibly changing the way judges are selected in Mississippi (going from election to another form of selection) and the money that is now in some judicial races. The article clues in on some of the difficulties of making this change and how few think it will actually come about.

MS Governors Race in 2011

Sid Salter has an editorial out now that I found interesting and thought you readers might also. It discusses Bill Luckett, Jr., a possible Democratic candidate for Mississippi Governor. Luckett is an attorney and investor, and perhaps most notably business partner in several ventures with Morgan Freeman. The article also gives a few sentences to the Republican frontrunner and expected candidate (current Lt. Gov.) Phil Bryant.

A rear ending case makes it to the MS Court of Appeals

Rear end collision cases happen all the time but this one actually made it all the way to the Mississippi Court of Appeals (where it was affirmed). Nothing in the facts seem especially unique but for some reason it got appealed and then an appeal was heard and opinion rendered. Just thought I would note Prewitt v. Vance.