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City & County
‘One Lake’ Draws Mixed Reax
After years of planning, debate and revision, public sentiment about a plan to dam part of the Pearl River and create a lake that is designed to reduce flooding in …
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Business
Civil Rights Museum to Break Ground
Former Mississippi Gov. William Winter remembers a time when "civil" and "rights" were two words that weren't used in tandem in many social circles.
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Justice
Living ‘The Laramie Project’ at Ole Miss
A recent incident at a performance of “The Laramie Project” at Ole Miss reignited nationwide discussion of LGBTQ issues.
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Jacksonian
A.B. Nichols
A.B. Nichols has spent a lifetime in education, but it never ceases to amaze her how much a person continues to learn throughout life.
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Editor's Note
No Time to Fear
The grass isn’t greener, or safer, in another cow pasture or flood plain somebody wants to develop.
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Music
Fall Anticipation
After an exciting summer of new releases, music lovers might be left wondering if things could get any better.
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Business
Council OKs Sales Tax Hike for 2014 Vote
Jackson citizens will vote whether to levy a 1-percent sales tax after all. The Jackson City Council voted 5-1 in favor of putting the referendum forward at Tuesday night’s city …
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Bryant Orders Blue Cross to Take Back 10 HMA Hospitals
Gov. Phil Bryant is ordering Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi to reinstate all 10 hospitals that it kicked out of its network.
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The Deweycare Government Health-Care Takeover in Full Swing
By R.L. NaveWhen the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. — Thomas Jefferson
This afternoon, Gov. Phil Bryant followed through on his promise to issue an executive order for BlueCross & BlueShield of Mississippi to accept 10 Hospital Management Associates facilities into their provider networks.
The health companies have been beefing over money for a few months now.
Bryant had said that if the parties didn't work something out, he would step in order to ensure continuity in patient access to care.
Obviously aware of that given his chest beating about the government staying out of the affairs of private businesses, meddling with BCBS/HMA might come off as hypocritical (see his opposition to Medicaid expansion and Obamacare in general), Bryant's statement to the press reads:
"The Order issued by Gov. Bryant does not attempt to resolve the parties’ dispute over prior payments under their contracts, and it expresses no opinion and has no effect on that issue or their ongoing lawsuit. Rather, the Order is intended to preserve access to care until a full investigation is complete."
Bryant hoped the sides could come up with a resolution, but when they did not, said "as governor, I cannot sit back and allow Mississippian’s access to care to be threatened in violation of state law."
His order, good for at least 60 days, comes one day after Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney announced a deal whereby four HMA would be considered part of BCBS' network.
If the governor's actions are puzzling in that context, remember that Bryant also fought Chaney, a fellow Republican statewide officeholder, on setting up a state-based health-care exchange for the Affordable Care Act. The tiff caused the federal government to step in and set an exchange on Mississippi's behalf.
So, yeah, our governor has some control issues.
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Detroit Faces Crucial Trial in Bankruptcy Case
Thousands of Detroit streetlights are dark. Many more residents have fled. Donors are replacing ambulances that limped around for 200,000 miles. Millions in debt payments have been skipped.
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FDA Reviews 2 Promising New Drugs for Hepatitis C
Doctors may soon have two new drug options for patients with hepatitis C, just as the liver-destroying virus becomes a major public health concern for millions of baby boomers.
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For Jobless Over 50, a Challenging Search for Work
When Charlie Worboys lost his job, he feared searching for a new one at his age might be tough. Six years later, at 65, he's still looking.
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AP Exclusive: Nuke Officers Left Blast Door Open
Twice this year alone, Air Force officers entrusted with the launch keys to nuclear-tipped missiles have been caught leaving open a blast door that is intended to help prevent a …
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City & County
Lumumba: Chamber Won't 'Betray' City on Tax Commission
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba brushed off concerns from Jackson City Council members at Monday's work session about the 1-percent sales tax, which Jacksonians would have to pass by referendum.
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Biz Roundup
EastGroup, Bagwell and Aspire
Jackson-based EastGroup Properties has been enjoying increased revenue and profit in its third quarter as an increasing number of tenants rent industrial space from the company.
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Chris Christie Gay Marriage Move Stirs GOP
Gov. Chris Christie's decision to stop fighting gay marriage in New Jersey was pragmatic—same sex weddings had already begun and a court warned that the state would have little chance …
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Builders of Obama's Health Website Saw Red Flags
Crammed into conference rooms with pizza for dinner, some programmers building the Obama administration's showcase health insurance website were growing increasingly stressed.
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Teacher Called Hero in Fatal Nevada School Shooting
Police said a Sparks Middle School student was the lone shooter who injured two classmates, killed himself and took the life of an 8th-grade math teacher who tried to stop …
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Lucky Town Clears Zoning Hurdle, Craft Beermaking Returns to Jackson
By R.L. NaveLucky Town Brewing Co. is reporting on its Facebook page that the startup microbrewery received unanimous zoning approval to move into a building in midtown.
Lucky Town—which started making more of its own beer in 2012 after a successful Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign—is one of only a handful of breweries operating in Mississippi and will be the first in Jackson in a long time.
Cheers!
