This is full, verbatim release from the office Mayor Tony Yarber:

“The Administration has been in communication with Best Buy regularly since June 2014 and was advised sales were strong and that the Jackson store would not close. Under Best Buy’s current business model, the company has shifted its focus from “Big Box” stores to smaller locations and online sales. We look forward to working with the Best Buy team to find a smaller location within the city. We’re also actively strategizing to “backfill” that retail space. We’re always disappointed when a business closes in Jackson, but our Economic Development division continues to aggressively recruit companies as evidenced by the more than 1,000 jobs created since May 2014.”

A real-estate website called Estately figured out the most Googled words for each state.

Apparently, the No. 1 search term for Mississippi was Ashley Madison, the online secret smash site for married folks that got hacked this year. I won't link to it here because I don't believe in pouring salt on wounds.

Plus, let's be honest, you probably already have it (so does Santa).

Other top hits for the Magnolia State included "Straight Outta Compton," the 2015 biopic about a Starter apparel loving musical group from Los Angeles, presumably due to the enduring popularity of the Jheri curl in some parts of Mississippi.

Also, the U.S. Supreme Court was popular because that's where most of the laws our Republican legislators pass eventually end up.

B.B. King for obvs reason none of which have anything to do with restaurants on Farish Street.

FOX news Megyn Kelly was another hot topic here. So was booty.

Rounding out the list were Bobbi Kristina Brown (daughter of singer Whitney Houston, who passed away in 2015) and Common Core State Standards Initiative.

It's interesting to note that given the fact that 2015 was an election year, none of the top search terms had anything to do with our political races.

In other words, booty was more popular "Phil Bryant," "Tate Reeves" or "School funding."

Marinate on that.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2015/dec/15/23842/

Roy McMillan has died after a long illness, the Clarion-Ledger reported.

Frequent visitors to Fondren know McMillan as the brash, fedora-wearing, fetus-sign waving anti-abortion protester near the Jackson Women's Health Organization.

A bit of history on McMillan:

In 1995, a federal court ordered McMillan to stay 50 feet away from the clinic for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, enacted in 1994 after Dr. (David) Gunn's murder in Pensacola. According to court records, on May 3, 1995, McMillan made his hand into the shape of a gun and told clinic employees: "Y'all look like a bunch of birds on a telephone wire waiting to be shot off by a man with a shotgun...Pow, pow, pow, pow."

McMillan pickets the clinic each day they see patients by displaying signs that carry pictures of fetuses and messages equating abortion to genocide. He and his wife, Beverly, an OB/GYN and former abortion doctor, also oppose all hormonal birth control including the pill and the morning-after pill.

He told the Jackson Free Press that meeting Beverly in 1982 is how he became involved in the pro-life movement.

JFP reporter Casey Parks wrote of McMillan: "He was reluctant to even join the mission. He thought Beverly was cute and smart when he saw her speak, though, so he asked her on a date. She thought he was charming, and they quickly married.

The pro-life movement inundated the husband's life as the wife spent most of her weekends speaking around the state. He joined the pro-life movement rather halfheartedly—he agreed to oversee one of the pro-life publications. His master's in journalism from Columbia University would come in handy, he thought, and besides, he wanted nothing to do with sidewalk counseling or protesting. When a colleague suggested that Roy go out to the clinic to take some action photos, Roy got a little nervous."

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2016/jan/21/24204/

The city's new water billing system, part of the controversial $91 million Siemens contract, is scheduled to go live at the end of August.

According to a city press release: "Residents will soon experience updates to their water billing as part of comprehensive upgrades the City of Jackson has initiated with Siemens through its water infrastructure improvement project. The Customer Care and Billing System (CC&B) implementation will provide the City with a modern software platform and enhanced management tools that will greatly improve the customer experience."

The new system should increase "efficiency of meter reading and water billing, eventual elimination of the need for estimated bills, and a reduced need for personnel to enter property" and "will also be able to track usage patterns, allowing the city to potentially detect leaks on a property through abnormal usage patterns. Implementation of the new system will occur in two phases."

Three key changes become effective Monday, August 31:

· Water bills will be sent MONTHLY (instead of every other month) for more timely information and more efficient budget management. Payments will be due on a monthly basis and bills paid through an automatic bank draft will be drafted every month.

· Customers will have a NEW ACCOUNT NUMBER that will need to be used for payment to be processed.

· The new bill format will be EASIER TO READ and provide more detailed account information. During the initial installation period for the CC&B, the City may need to estimate bills every other month as it verifies the system upgrade. The estimated bills will be based on an average of actual consumption from prior billing periods, and will be identified on the bill with the abbreviation (EST) immediately after the reading. Once implementation is complete, bills will begin moving to the monthly cycle and eventually will be based on actual meter reads/consumption each month.

The city continued: "Phase Two of the CC&B implementation is expected in late 2015, and will involve rolling out the system’s full capabilities so customers can experience the complete benefits of the system. This includes the ability to view water usage online, online payment options, and the ability to consolidate irrigation and residential water bills. Customers will be notified when these features are activated."

For more information on the CC&B implementation and the water infrastructure improvement project, please visit: www.jacksonms.gov/water. Customers with specific concerns about their bill should contact the City’s Water and Sewer Business Administration Office at 601-960-2000.

Over the weekend, Black Enterprise magazine reported that the spending power of the nation's 43 million African Americans is expected to top $1 trillion by 2015.

BE cites a report that will be presented at a June 2014 meeting of the National Association of Black Accountants Conference. The report found that the African American population "is an economic force to be reckoned with, with a projected buying power of $1.1 trillion by 2015."

That should be good news for Jackson and Mississippi, which have some of the the nation's highest percentages of of black residents. Jackson's population is 80 percent black; Mississippi has to a 40 percent black population.

What's more, black consumers' growth outpaces the rest of the population by 30 percent, the study shows:

Between 2000 and 2009, the number of African Americans attending some college or earning degrees has grown: 45 percent of men; 54 percent of women. Households earning $75,000 or more grew by more than 60 percent, faster than the rest of the population. African American’s average income nationwide is $47,290.

So what does this all mean in business terms? It means African Americans wield tremendous buying power. The Nielsen study showed numerous shopping trends, mostly for household, health and beauty, travel, smart phones and child related items.

Hopefully, Jackson residents and businesses are in a position to take full advantage.

From the office of Mayor Tony Yarber:

The City of Jackson urges citizens to complete a new survey that will help the city move forward with its open data initiative.

Last month, Mayor Tony T. Yarber signed an executive order that will pave the way for a city government that’s more open, transparent and data driven. This concept was centered on the city’s engagement with Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities initiative. As a part of that initiative, Jackson is committed to releasing key data sets within the city to its citizens, businesses, and organizations. The goal is to make constituents more informed about what’s occurring within the city. A survey seeking public feedback has been made available on the city website at www.jacksonms.gov or by clicking this link: bit.ly/1Mdeku7. Copies also will be available at public libraries and community centers.

We’re encouraging citizens to take the time to fill out the survey so the city can identify the sets of data most important to constituents.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2015/oct/22/23345/

A mailer is going around northeast Jackson attempting to link Dorsey Carson, a Ward 1 Jackson City Council candidate, to President Barack Obama.

Obama, an African American Democrat, is very unpopular among Mississippi Republicans.

The mailer, reportedly produced by the Hinds County Republican Party, depicts a photoshopped Obama with his arm around Carson even though the color of the president's hands in the photo don't match.

The Ward 1 race concludes with a runoff between Carson and Republican investment manager Ashby Foote tomorrow, Dec. 16, and is officially nonpartisan. Carson is a Democrat who contributed to Obama's election campaign and ran for the state Legislature as a Democrat, both facts that the direct mailer point out.

The push card also claims that Carson "criticized Mississippi to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder" over the state's redistricting plan. In addition, the flyer purports that Carson donated $500 to former Congressman Travis Childers over Sen. Thad Cochran in the recent U.S. Senate race.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2014/dec/15/19747/

The wait is over, kids. Mississippi House members finally have a new legislative district map to vote on. The maps, which add two districts in rapidly growing DeSoto County, were unveiled at the Capitol today. Under the plan, several Democrats could lose their seats either by hasquaring off with fellow Democrats or by having to compete in mostly GOP districts.

What's in a name?

Well, a rebranding of the local the mass-transit system, JATRAN, got under way quietly with a press release from the city this morning.

The Transit Services Division wants public input on what to rename the authority. The public-comment period last through October. Citizens can vote through on online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ST7X9ZZ.

From the survey, you can suggest your own name (e.g. "Jumpin Jack Flash," "The Ripper," or some such) or pick from one of these pre-fab/suggested names:

• Jackson Jazz • Jackson Area Express • Jackson Metro • Pearl RiverRunner • CityBus • CityLink • Beat • Blues • CAT (Capital Area Transit) • GoJackson • JBus • The J • Magnolia Ride • The Ride

The results of the survey (which, face it, will probably be Jumpin Jack Flash) will be shared with the Jackson City Council at their Tuesday, November 17, 2015 meeting.

According to the city, "the person who suggests the best name for JATRAN and is approved by City Council will receive a special prize." (Editor's note: should be free bus rides for life).

Happy voting.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2015/sep/30/23114/

Democratic U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson is wading into the Jackson mayor's race, and endorsing Councilman Chokwe Lumumba over political upstart and businessman Jonathan Lee.

In the R-and-B-laced radio ad, Thompson refrains from naming Lee but says: "When I see Republicans from Rankin and Madison counties endorsing the other so-called Democrat, I know something is fishy."

Thompson goes on to say that the Republicans supporting the other candidate are the same people who "opened their checkbooks last fall for Mitt Romney in an effort to kick President Obama out of the White House."

As JFP city reporter Tyler Cleveland has pointed out, six of Lee's 10 biggest contributors have given to the GOP or Republican causes in the past. Thompson hits every buzzword, saying "these Republicans want to pass charter schools, create voter-ID laws, cut Pell Grants, end Medicare and reduce Social Security benefits."

At the end of the ad, Thompson advises voters not to fall for "old Republican tricks" and to "vote for the real Democrat" on May 21.

In other states I've lived, it would have been highly unusual for a Congressman to get involved in a party primary. Perhaps this is normal for Mississippi. Or, maybe it's just normal for Rep. Thompson?

A top city economic-development official says retail is alive and well in Jackson.

Jason Goree, Jackson's economic development chief, tweeted this afternoon that a Burke's Outlet store is coming to Jackson.

"It's gonna happen!!!!! Retail ain't dead in the Capitol," Goree posted to Twitter.

The city has struggled with attracting and retaining big-box retailers in recent years. Following the closure of Sam's Club, the Best Buy store on County Line Road announced this year that it would close. And after Jackson had been courting Costco, one of the nation's largest companies, that company is now in talks with the city of Ridgeland to build near the Renaissance.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2015/sep/25/23074/

From the office of Mayor Tony Yarber:

City of Jackson Public Works Director Kishia Powell has issued a stop work order to Siemens, halting the installation of new city water meters. Powell also postponed the start of a new online billing system that was set to go-live this weekend.

The action comes after the discovery that Siemens had installed at least seven meters that were not configured to properly measure water usage, resulting in unusually high water bills. A review found that the company had installed gallon meters. The city measures water usage in cubic feet. Those meters have been changed out and adjustments are being made to the customers’ accounts.

The company must provide the city with an approved corrective action plan before installation work can resume. Siemens was awarded a $90 million contract in 2012 to install a new water meter system in Jackson.

A media availability with Powell is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, in the Mayor’s Ceremonial Office at City Hall.

The city has been responding to customer complaints about higher water bills. In many cases, higher bills result from a more accurate reading of properly installed meters.

“While we believe there may be other gallon meters in the system that are contributing to the high bills, it has been found that some of the high bills have stemmed from leaks on private property,” Powell said. “Once those leaks are identified and fixed, adjustments are made to the accounts.”

Customers with questions about their bills are asked to contact the Water and Sewer Business Administration at 601-960-2000.

It hardly seems like yesterday that LaRita Cooper-Stokes was running for Ward 3 councilwoman and then running again when a judge ordered a new election, which she also won. But it wasn't yesterday. It was spring 2012, after Cooper-Stokes' husband, Kenneth, won a seat on the Hinds County Board of Supervisors.

Now, the Jackson Advocate is reporting that Cooper-Stokes will run for Hind County Circuit Court judge long before serving out her entire first term. Both Stokeses went to law school and both have a penchant for missing important meetings, so it'll be interesting to see how she conducts business on the bench. It could also mean a whole lot of recusals for Mr. Stokes, who, as a supervisor, approves all the county's bills including those for the courts.

Sorry I don't have more information, but I didn't have $.50 on me to buy a copy of the Advocate and the story is not yet posted on its website.

Forget about making Mississippi healthier. Forget about the cost to taxpayers. The fight over Medicaid in Mississippi is turning into an all-out partisan turf war.

The latest salvo came yesterday, when Democratic Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood issued an opinion stating that the governor cannot lawfully run the Medicaid program if the Legislature fails to reauthorize the program.

At odds over whether the state should expand Medicaid, lawmakers couldn't come to a consensus on renewing Medicaid before the legislative session ended this spring, leaving the future of the program up in the air.

Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, who opposes Medicaid expansion, has said that if Democrats, who support the expansion and have asked for legislative debate on the subject, continue standing in the way of Medicaid's reauthorization that he would run the program himself.

In recent weeks, legislative Republicans and the Mississippi Republican Party have blitzed the Internet and social media with anti-Obamacare messages ahead of the July 1 Medicaid deadline. The MS GOP has started an online petition against Obamacare while Speaker Philip Gunn, a Clinton Republican, has written op-eds for several local newspapers and blogs.

Hood's opinion this week relies on a similar opinion Hood issued in 2009, which states that "a governor cannot create or re-create a state agency that has been repealed by operation of law, nor can a governor divert funds which may be appropriated to a statutorily repealed agency to some other agency."

The response from Bryant's office was terse. Bryant's spokesman, Mick Bullock, responded to Hood in an email to the Associated Press: "That's all it is, his opinion."

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2013/jun/20/12276/

Jackson Zoo officials have announced that a pack of feral dogs killed a gazelle and five springbok. Two geese were also hurt. The following is a verbatim description of the incident from the zoo:

Zoo staff discovered the animals had been attacked early Friday morning, and began to take measures of contacting Animal Control and catching the dogs before they attacked any other animals or escaped off property. The Zoo captured four of the five feral dogs believed to be involved in the accident. One dog escaped the premises; along with another dog spotted in the adjoining cemetery, not presently linked to the attack. None of the five medium size mixed breeds were wearing a collar for identification.

"This is a sad day, and the hardest thing about it is it didn't have to happen. The entire zoo's animal care staff work very hard to give the best care to the collection of animals here at the zoo, and to have them killed this way is tragic,” Zoo Director Beth Poff said, “There are people out there who have not taken responsibility for their dogs, and unfortunately we all have to suffer the consequences."

The Zoo lost 5 Springbok and 1 Addra Gazelle from its’ African Savannah area. Both species are part of antelope-gazelle family found in parts of Africa. The two spur-winged geese that were injured have been taken to the Zoo’s Animal Hospital for care.

Through a preliminary investigation there has not been a point of entry found on the fence line. The investigation continues as to where the dogs entered and one dog escaped the premises. The fence line is walked weekly to check for openings where dogs or other predators could enter.

The Zoo has 24-hour security, which has called Animal Control for dog sightings on zoo property eight times in the last five months, only three dogs have been captured from these calls.

Jackson Zoo staff continues to be vigilant in sighting loose dogs and monitoring the containment fences that surround the property. The zoo has contacted the City of Jackson today for assistance in containment, especially around possible drainage areas under the fence line.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2015/dec/18/23879/

Melvin Priester Jr. is getting support from the U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson—their campaign radio ads are even similar—who represents most of Jackson on the U.S. House of Representatives and is the only Democrat in the state's congressional delegation.

It's an interesting turn of events, considering the following:

• Thompson was fairly tight with the administration of late Mayor Chokwe Lumumba. You might remember last year when Thompson came out strongly for then-Councilman Lumumba who was running against upstart Jonathan Lee. Thompson unleashed a torrent of anti-Lee publicity, linking Lee's supporters to white Republicans who oppose President Barack Obama. In kind, Lumumba came out albeit half-heartedly for Thompson's pick in a Hinds County supervisor's race. In addition, a former Thompson staffer, Synarus Green, holds a key appointment at city hall.

• Charlie Horhn, Thompson's longtime state field director, is the father of state Sen. John Horhn, who is also running.

• There are so many people in the race, that it's difficult to know what could happen at this point. One would expect an operator of Thompson's stature to sit back and chill and see how the race shakes out before throwing his weight around.

So why is Thompson on team Priester so early?

It could be that his support of Lumumba was a marriage of necessity more than a genuine adherence to the principles Lumumba stood for. Again, going back to last year, Thompson wasn't vocal in the mayor's race until it came down to Lumumba and Lee, whom Thompson regarded as too-white-friendly.

Thompson is close with Hinds County Judge Melvin Priester Sr. — the councilman's father — and supported Priester Jr. in his bid to succeed Lumumba as councilman of Ward 2 last year, which included hosting at least one fundraiser for Priester last April. Priester is also a graduate of the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute, which Thompson chairs.

Of course, it's also possible that Thompson is grooming Priester for an office beyond the mayor's seat, such as his own congressional seat. Thompson has served in the House since 1993 and, at age 66 (the average age of U.S. House members is 57), is probably looking around at who might eventually replace him.

Mayor Tony Yarber may have lost the battle with the Jackson City Council over his desire to issue a infrastructure emergency proclamation, but he's not giving up the public-relations fight.

This morning, the mayor's communications office sent out a press release touting a mention of the of the strategy on the website of Next City (formerly Next American City). The story, posted today, looks at quick-fix infrastructure strategies in Jackson and San Diego.

"The article cites the Mayor’s emergency declaration and San Diego’s proposal to prioritize maintenance investment, saying the strategies of both cities 'resonate,'" the press from Yarber's office states.

The story also called Yarber's strategy "more than a little unusual" and agrees with the city council's reluctance to go balls-to-the-wall with a declaration that, according to Yarber, could involve a relaxation of procurement protocols.

"Probably, he’s right to be cautious," writes Next City's Rachel Dovey, referring to Ward 6 Councilman Tyrone Hendrix. "Procurement laws vary state to state, even city to city, and though they tend to be a bureaucratic headache, they often provide some public safeguards in dealing with private industry."

Last week, the city council declined to approve a new declaration, even though Yarber said it didn't matter one way or the other because the city was going to go to work anyway.

Yarber did say then that having the council's imprimatur on his declaration would help the city get into rooms with state and federal influence-makers with whom the city might not otherwise have an audience.

He added that in issuing the declaration his administration had "changed the paradigm" and kicked off a national conversation on what constitutes an emergency. It's apparent that the Yarber believes the Next City article is part of that conversation.

As his news release points out:L "According to its website, 'Next City' provides daily online coverage of the leaders, policies and innovations driving progress in metropolitan regions across the world.”

The world is watching indeed.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2015/apr/29/21249/

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, the junior senator from Mississippi, will now be in charge of keeping the Republican's newly won majority in the upper chamber of Congress.

Senate Republicans, who will hold a majority for the first time since 2006, picked Wicker over Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada, the home state of the outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, to lead the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

“I am thankful for the confidence and the support of my colleagues,” Wicker said in a statement released Thursday from his office. “I intend to roll up my sleeves immediately to ensure that we have the resources available to preserve our Republican majority. This Senate Republican leadership team is ready to go to bat for the American people, and I am proud to be a part of it.”

The role of the NRSC came into play during the Republican Senate primary in Mississippi this year. A media-buying firm that placed racially charged ads for a pro-Thad Cochran super PAC, All Citizens for Mississippi, was also used by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Some members of the Republican party, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, cried foul arguing that the NRSC should remain neutral in primary contests. Cochran went on to defeat his opponent, state Sen. Chris McDaniel of Laurel, in a run off and went on to win a seventh term in the general election.

By all accounts, Wicker will have his work cut out for him to keep the Senate from slipping back into the hands of Democrats in 2016 when several Republican seats are up for grabs in states where President Obama has done well the past two cycles.

If Democrats field a strong presidential candidate who can excite the base, Wicker's chairmanship could be short-lived.

Gov. Phil Bryant has proclaimed February as Voter Registration Month. He and fellow Republican Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann are urging Mississippi citizens to register to vote for upcoming party primaries--and not to forget their voter IDs.

Mississippi's voter-ID law is scheduled to be in place for the June 3 statewide primary. This comes after years of legal wrangling and claims from civil-liberties groups who say the law might deter African Americans and other minorities from bothering to try to vote.

But The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for voter ID last summer when the court's majority ruled unconstitutional parts of the Voting Rights Act that required some states to obtain federal approval for voting changes. The ruling basically said that in the past 40+ years states like Mississippi had suffered enough punishment for rigging its electoral system to keep blacks away from the polls for the past 100+ years.

The fact that the Voter Registration proclamation-cum-voter-ID reminder is taking place at the start of Black History Month is probably 100 percent, purely coincidental.

Or it's 100 percent, purely intentional.

Here's the release from Bryant's office, though:

Jackson, Miss.— With the new photo identification requirement beginning June 3rd, Governor Phil Bryant and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann want Mississippians to remember the key to our democracy lies with voting. Therefore, the Governor has proclaimed February Voter Registration Month in Mississippi.

“The right to vote is the cornerstone of our nation, and countless service men and women have given their lives in defense of this freedom,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “I encourage Mississippians to register to vote and participate in the electoral process at the local, state and federal levels.”

“We believe there are approximately 360,000 Mississippians over the age of 18 who are not registered to vote,” says Secretary Hosemann. “Voting is our most important right. We thank Governor Bryant for his commitment to the electoral process and hope this designation will encourage Mississippians to register to vote.”

To register to vote in Mississippi, you must be:

• A resident of the State and the county/city for thirty (30) days prior to the election; • At least 18-years-old by the date of the general election; • Not convicted of a disenfranchising crime; and, • Not adjudicated mentally incompetent. • A statewide primary election will be held in Mississippi on Tuesday, June 3, 2014. The voter registration deadline for that election is Saturday, May 3, 2014, at 12 p.m. A statewide general election will be held in Mississippi on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. The voter registration deadline for that election is Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014, at 12 p.m. To register to vote, please visit your local circuit clerk’s office or, you may download a voter registration form on the Secretary of State’s website at http://sos.ms.gov/links/elections/voter_information_center/tab1/Voter_Registration.pdf.

For information regarding the voter identification requirement, please contact 1-844-MSVoter or visit www.MSVoterID.com.

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2014/feb/05/15816/

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made the following announcement:

Since Open Enrollment began on November 1, about 8.8 million consumers signed-up for health coverage through the HealthCare.gov platform or had their coverage automatically renewed, including 97,909 Mississippi. Today’s enrollment snapshot includes the number of people who selected a plan or were automatically reenrolled within local media markets. This localized data provides another level of detail to better understand total plan selections within local communities. As of January 16,

9,186 consumers in the Biloxi-Gulfport local media market area selected or were automatically enrolled in a plan 13,046 consumers in the Columbus-Tupelo-West Point local media market area selected or were automatically enrolled in a plan 6,748 consumers in the Greenwood-Greenville local media market area selected or were automatically enrolled in a plan 38,481 consumers in the Jackson, MS local media market area selected or were automatically enrolled in a plan

“As expected, consumer interest is beginning to increase again as we near the deadline for 2016 coverage,” HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell said. “We know we have more work to do and as we count down to the January 31 final deadline, we’re focused on making sure consumers understand that they must act soon to find affordable health coverage and avoid the fee for choosing to not have health insurance in 2016. Consumers should know that we’re here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace began Nov. 1, 2015, and runs through January 31, 2016. Consumers who enroll by January 31 will have coverage effective March 1. Having health insurance when you can afford it is now the law. If someone chooses not to buy health insurance and could afford to do so, they are at risk of paying a fee of $695 or more. Consumers are encouraged to visit HealthCare.gov to review and compare health plan options and find out if they are eligible for financial assistance, which can help lower monthly premiums and reduce out-of-pocket costs.