A Calming Note from Coach Norwood

Rosa Fort Football Team Page

8 hrs · 

Unfortunately leading up to this weeks game there were allegedly threats made toward the opposing team. As of yet we have not confirmed who the threats may or may not have come from. However, If you consider yourself a real supporter of this Team and Program me & my staff have built over the past six years you would refrain from directing insults at the opposing team and our players and coaches. This is not what I'm about & this is not what we are teaching your young men. This behavior will not be tolerated. It is sad that these boys body of work they have put together this season is being tarnished by people that have no affiliation with the Team. We must do a better job of representing our school and town in everything we do. It's hurts to hear people call my kids thugs, gang bangers, and uncivilized. I know they aren't but we have students and fans that claim to represent us act in this manner. In the future, if you cannot represent The Fort in a positive manner please do not show up at our games.

Coach Norwood

Coach Norwood told me the following:

"I wish the Times wouldn't have posted the article on their face book.  I asked for it to be removed early this morning.  It has caused a lot of controversy over nothing." 

UPDATED 6 Nov 2015: 29 Oct 2015: Board of Supervisors' Meeting: CORRECTED 3 Nov 2015

29 Oct 2015 Board of Supervisors’ Meeting: 5p

Thank you for the appointment this evening.

Over the years, I have written and reported to you about our voter rolls.  We are just a few days away from the General Election.  We still have many problems with our Election Commission’s performance.

Four weeks ago, I received a phone call talking about the training of election workers for 3 Nov.  I thought I would check it out for myself.  Bob and I attended the next meeting.  At that meeting, I learned that our voter rolls have not been purged.  Yes, it is and was too late but it was not too late in Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May and Jun of this year.  I just wanted the Election Commission to admit to their potential workers that the voter rolls they would be working with on 3 Nov, had not been purged.

I learned that the previous week there were 19 people in attendance.  At the meeting I attended, there was supposed to be hands on training on the voting machines.  In preparation for this training, 2 machines were set-up and at least 1 of them was not working.  I suggested that enough machines be set-up the following week to allow every person to experience what it takes to set-up and take-down the voting machines. 

I couldn’t attend the next week.  However, at the final training I verified with one person that there were additional machines the previous week.  Another person told me there were 6 machines set-up during the training that I could not attend.

At the final training, I arrived early to make a list of the Poll Workers that have been assigned to the 3 precincts in Beat 2.  I wanted to make sure that the 2 Poll Managers at the Tunica Library during the Primary Election were not going to be working anywhere in Beat 2.  If you will remember, 27 voters were disenfranchised due to Poll Manager errors at the Library on 4 Aug. 

I am including the list of workers in this report:

Precinct 3: Prichard Road:

Manager: Leonard Granberry

Manager: Martini McNeal

Latoya Gibson

Yameka Melvin (had not been asked yet)

Precinct 4: Tunica Library

Manager: Scott Rhines

Manager: Meg Coker
CORRECTION: Sandy Gannoway

Patricia Seggog

Marilyn Seggog

Precinct 5: Mhoon Landing

Manager: Joyce Mitchell

Susie Dorsey

Roshunda Dorsey

Anthony Hudson (had not been asked yet)

Why is this important information?  At the last Primary, we were told that some workers called in the day before the Primary and said they wouldn’t be available the next day.  So, what happened?  What happened was that people who had previously worked our elections were called to fill in.  What I am suggesting is that each of you find out from your Election Commissioner who is going to work the polls in your Beat.  The devil is in the details and this list may be helpful to you after next Tue.

So, what is left?  The voter rolls that are used by the Poll Workers at the Precincts.  What can you, as a Supervisor, do to make sure that the rolls provided by the Circuit Clerk are accurate? 

During the Primary and the run-off, there were problems like unsealed bags from Mhoon Landing, Superintendent’s Office and Tunica Auditorium.  There were problems with people voting who did not live here.  There were problems with voters being listed in the wrong Precinct. There were problems with a lot of stuff.  Why can’t Tunica get this right?  Have we really been doing it wrong so long that some of us think it is right?  At the very least, every legal voter of this County needs to feel sure that our elections are fair and honest.

*This is the end of the Transparency Report.  

What I am reporting next is very important for all of us to understand BEFORE we cast our votes next Tue, 3 Nov 2015.

To request an appointment on the agenda of a Board of Supervisors' Meeting, you must submit your request at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.  The Transparency Committee asked to be put on the agenda for this meeting well before 72 hours prior.  

After presenting our report, James Dunn asked a member of the audience who is also a member of the Healthcare Authority Board (HCAB), if he had requested to be placed on the agenda.  The HCAB member stated he had called the County Administrator's Office but had not received a return phone call.  Dunn then invited the HCAB member to speak.  

The HCAB member then requested that the BOS reconsider hiring "Mr." Gene Osborn. (PLEASE people, it is DOCTOR Osborn not Mister Osborn...use his title...he earned it.)  This is very curious because as I understand it, the Healthcare Authority Board voted against again hiring Dr. Osborn to assist the two HCA managers.  Correction: I have now learned that the HCAB voted for rehiring Dr. Osborn.  One member voted against rehiring Dr. Osborn.  

A bit of background: Previously, the BOS rehired Dr. Osborn for 3 months to train the two managers.  At the end of the three months, the managers were awarded a $20,000 raise each due to their added responsibilities.

During his presentation to the BOS the HCAB member stated the HCA would lose approximately $1M this year.  The impression was that this was unusual.  Thankfully, County Administrator Michael Thompson interrupted the presentation to inform Dunn, the HCBA member and everyone else that the HCA has lost between $800K and $1M since its inception in 2005.  The HCAB member stated the deficit was between $500K and $600K.  Thompson corrected him and the HCAB member finally admitted that Thompson was correct.  Additionally, Thompson stated that the HCA has lost between $800k and $1M per year when Dr. Osborn was in charge so this is no surprise to anyone.

I know this to be true as the Transparency Committee has been looking into the HCA for many years.  We were the folks who brought to the public's attention that we were paying Dr. Gentry $265k per year.  We were the folks who attended and spoke to the BOS at Public Hearings about the HCA  losing about a $1M per year.  

Okay, so that's the background.  Here's the problem.  The HCAB did not vote to rehire Dr. Osborn and yet Dunn and this HCAB member tried to make us think he was speaking about a subject that was approved by the HCAB.  Guys, we are not stupid.  To me this was one member of the HCAB pushing for something that the board of which he is a member had voted against.  Does he think he can step over the HCAB to get what he wants by coming to the BOS?  I think this is inappropriate and very disruptive to the democratic way of doing things.  Does he not respect the other HCAB members?  Thank heaven for Sonny Nickson, who stood up to Dunn and the HCAB member. As corrected above, the HCAB voted to rehire Dr. Osborn with one member voting against the rehiring.  IMHO, why do we keep employing the same people and expecting different results?  Maybe the rehire is on an as-needed basis but just maybe we need to do something different.  The HCAB member who spoke at the BOS's meeting was asked to bring back other options.  

Blogger's note: In my follow-up to this post, I did find out that the rest of the HCAB did not know this member had taken it upon himself to approach the Board.  Therefore, my statement above of "I think this is inappropriate and very disruptive to the democratic way of doing things" still stands.

Additionally, I have now been told by other HCAB members that the two managers asked Michael Thompson to help them balance their books.  He couldn't do this because he was in the middle of the budgeting process.  They then approached Adrian McKay and got the same answer.  So, they hired Williams, Pitts and Beard at $260+ per hour to do the task.  One of the HCAB members I spoke with said they should have called her and she would have balanced their books for free.  And don't anybody get on this blog and attack Thompson or McKay for not being able to help balance the HCA books.  It is not their job and they had other responsibilities. If you decide you are going to comment in the negative anyway, I will delete your post without taking the time to answer.

These upcoming elections are going to have consequences if we waste our vote on the wrong candidate.  We will be getting a stomach full of this inappropriate behavior if  Beat 2 voters fall victim to a candidate who is not involved in our government circumstances as I have been.  I would not have found it difficult at all to say just what I have written here concerning the above Dunn/HCAB member dog and pony show.

I would not be quiet.  First, I would have asked the HCAB member when did he call the County Administrator's Office and then informed him of the 72 hour rule...for his future requests.  Second, I would have asked if the HCAB had approved this member's presentation.  I would have followed up with what the Transparency Committee has reported about the HCA.  I do not think kindly of those who think they can come to the BOS to get what they want over the disapproval of the board on which they serve. without the rest of their Board knowing of their presentation.   

Every person in Tunica County puts his or her pants on the same way.   The public was not fooled.  Let's wait and see what the Tunica Times has to say about this request.  Will they speak accurately or will they slant the story to support big money?

On Tue, 3 Nov

VOTE for Transparency

Elect Barbara R. Tuchel

Supervisor Beat 2

UPDATED 29 OCT 2015: There's a new blog in town....

Before I go on with my request for action, be aware that this Blogger does not identify him/her self.  I have a backbone and from day one, I have put my real name out there.  Hoping he/she will do the same.  Also, there is a responder to this other blog using the name, Jack Moss.  Previously, "Jack Moss" wrote on this site.  I asked him to use his real name.  I checked with the Post Office and there is not a "Jack Moss" in Tunica County.  Oh please...grow up and step out with what you have to say.

Okay, the new blog is www.tunicatruths.blogspot.com  aka Tunicans for Responsible Government.

From one of their posts, I gathered that they believe Boykin's eligibility for office should be left to the voter alone without any certification from the DEC.  Really?  And what do they plan to do if Boykin wins the election?  What if she loses the election?  Should the State of MS just ignore the accusation of voter fraud?

I have already responded to some of their posts and I am expecting my comments to be deleted.  Let's take some of our readership on over there and see what they have to say.

As always, I am open to other ideas and suggestions of a change in what I have to say.'

UPDATE: So, I checked back with this other blog and sure enough, some of my comments were deleted.  I wasn't rude and I didn't curse.  So, I guess it was the information I presented, under my own name, that didn't fit with their purposes.

One of the things I pointed out to them was that it may look like I am deleting comments from this Blog but that isn't so.  For some reason, blogspot comments sometimes post twice.  When this happens, either the author or I deletes the duplicate comment.  As a matter of fact, this is already happening on the other blog too.  Off to do some quilting.

One more thing, don't forget the BOSs' Meeting today at 5p.  Another opportunity to see the Beat 2 Supervisor explode.

Oh, BTW as of 8:25a this morning, this blog has 64,036 hits.  Thanks for reading.  I'm doing my best to post accurate information under my own name.  Always open to taking another look at what I've posted.

Now, I really am off to do some quilting.

These Election: Part II

Election Day is fast approaching.  Do you have your choices in mind?

I wanted to take this opportunity to ask everyone to vote next Tue, 3 Nov and to remember what happened to our schools when we elected the wrong Superintendent.  Elections do have consequences.

I don't know about you but I've had more then enough of those who are trying to and have made a circus of life in Tunica.  We have candidates on our ballot who didn't meet the residency requirements.  We have people who voted and/or tried to vote in the Primary who don't live here.  And then there are those who are running for themselves and their personal friends and family.

We need to elect those who have the best interest of Tunica County and the people who live here. Let's pull together and vote for the best person for the job. These elections are so important. We can't afford to go backwards.  Please think before you vote.

I'm voting for Dennis Allen for Sheriff.

Please consider voting for the following:

Beat 5: McKinley Daley
Beat 4: Sonny Nickson
Beat 3: Phillis Williams
Beat 2:  Barbara Tuchel

Tonight, the Transparency Blog has 63,185 hits.  We need your help in directing the voters of Tunica County to this blog.  We try our best to keep you informed.  I believe that with even more readers, we can educate the citizens of our County about what is going on in their government.   Spread the word and don't forget to vote to move Tunica County forward on 3 Nov 2015.

This is just ridiculous

Today in the mail, I received the following letter from A. Thomas Tucker, Jr. of the Tunica lawfirm of Tucker, Selden & Tucker, PLLC.  Reprinting because I as you know, I can't upload to this blog.

October 21, 2015

Mrs. Barbara Tuchel
P. O. Box 1076
Tunica, MS   38676

Re: The Tunica Times
OP: Barbara Tuchel
Libel

Dear Mrs. Tuchel:

Please be advised that The Tunica Times has asked us to represent it in this matter.

Demand is made that your retract a statement that was published in your blog, transparencyintunica.blogspot.com, on October 21, 2015, as follows: "The Tunica Times and others in the white community were pushing Matthews to run against Rev. Daley."

You are notified that this statement as to The Tunica Times is completely false and that The Tunica Times considers it libelous in nature.  Please promptly publish a retraction of this defamatory statement.

Thank you for your consideration.

Yours truly,

TUCKER, SELDEN & TUCKER, PLLC


 SIGNED BY: A. Thomas Tucker, Jr.

ATTjr/krm

Blogger's Note: Go to this blog's post on 21 October 2015 for my response.  And when you are through with that, kindly go to this blog's post on 19 Dec 2014 and read about the untrue statements
The Tunica Times made against Michael Thompson.  I have asked and asked for an apology on behalf of Thompson for almost a year now with no response from The Tunica Times.

Beat 2 Financial Reporting

Periodically, during a campaign, the candidates are required to file a Report of Receipts and Disbursements.  There are three pages to each report and there are dates listed on the front page to file each report.  The first pages is a consolidation, the second page is for itemized receipts and the third page is itemized disbursements.

These reports allow the public to see who is financially supporting a candidate and where the candidate is spending these funds.

Well guess what: There are 5 candidates for the position of Beat 2 Supervisor and I am the only candidate who has submitted the three page reports.  To be totally transparent, some of my reports have been filed late but they are all there.  One candidate filed the consolidation page for 8 Oct 2015. I am baffled by this.  How can these candidates serve as the Beat 2 Supervisor when they don't even file their candidacy financial reports.

One of the Beat 2 Supervisor candidates has spent big bucks on his campaign.  Hello, Beat 2 has a right to know who is financing your campaign.  Your arrogance is disgusting.  File your darn reports. What your inaction is proving is that you are not prepared to be a Supervisor and neither are the other three candidates.  Hey, don't think I am talking behind this guy's back.  I told him as much to his face on 4 Mar 2015. It was true then and he has proven it is true now.

Tunica, we have big problems in Tunica County.  Past administrations have built these "HUGE" facilities that we must pay for with our limited dollars.  Are you going to continue to elect people who are running for their friends and family or are you going to elect someone who has no other purpose but to help Tunica County?

Elect Barbara R. Tuchel

Supervisor: Beat 2

3 Nov 2015

To be clear:  When I asked to see the financial reports for Beat 2, Sharon Granberry looked not once but twice and found my reports and the one sheet from another candidate.

  

These Elections

Let's start at the top:

To Attorney General Jim Hood:  The citizens of Tunica County need your help.  Your Department has been sent a report from MBI.  This Investigation resulted in Jacqueline Dishmon-Boykin being accused of 2 counts of voter fraud.  Citizens from our County have written to your department asking for action.  We need your help and we need the help of the MS Secretary of State to ensure that we have fair and honest elections in our County.  Nov 3 is rapidly approaching and without you taking action, Jacqueline Dishmon-Boykin will remain on our ballot and if she happens to be elected, she cannot be seated.

To Wes Ryals:  Where have you been in helping to make sure Boykin is not on the 3 Nov ballot?  Or for that matter, since you are well aware of this situation, why didn't you step in to help?  Rightfully, you should be facing Louise Linzy on 3 Nov.  Wes, I'm disappointed in your inaction.

For Tunica County Sheriff: I have been an outspoken opponent of KC Hamp for a good while. Recently, he dismissed his command staff.  In doing so, without hearings, he threw away the investment Tunica County has in these officers.  Then at the last Board of Supervisors' Meeting he gave raises to a bunch of his employees.  Hello Hamp, it's election season and your actions could be construed as buying votes.  Out on the campaign trail, I've heard from more than a few people that there was a meeting in your department to plan the entrapment of Michael Thompson.  If anyone knows this to not be true, sing out and I will remove this statement but I am hearing the same story from more than a few people.  The courts said Michael Thompson was entrapped by your department and yet you won the Primary?  And where was my community, the white community, when it was ruled that Thompson was entrapped?  Did you even utter a peep?  We need a Sheriff who is going to step in and make the necessary changes and not play games with other's lives.

I'm voting for Dennis Allen.

Now onto the Supervisors:

Beat 5:  This is another race that has been manipulated.  Let's start with Craig Jones.  His Homestead in Desoto County was presented in Court.  End of statement.  Then there is Curley Matthews.  The Tunica Times and others in the white community were pushing Matthews to run against Rev. Daley.* I guess their thought process was that if Matthews could beat Rev. Daley then it was a shoe-in for Billy Pegram.  Well, Matthews didn't beat Rev. Daley.  Here's the bottom line: Billy Pegram is one of the former Supervisors who didn't raise taxes when the gaming revenue started going down.  Billy Pegram is a former Supervisor who supported building all of these facilities without feasibility studies when they should have been building infrastructure for our citizens.

*Referring to the highlighted and struckthrough sentence above and at the request of The Tunica Times through their lawyer, I am retracting the above sentence and submitting the following for their approval:

It appears to me that Meg Coker, editor of the Tunica Times, and others in the white community are supporting Curley Matthews against Rev. Daley.

Quite frankly, I don't know why a resident of Beat 2 is so involved in Beat 5 issues. Be that as it may, this is how I came to my opinion.  After the 4 Aug 2015 election, Matthews examined the precinct boxes for Beat 5.  In attendance, were two Beat 2 residents, Meg Coker and Scott Rhines and the candidate, Curley Matthews as well as a representative for Rev. Daley.  At the DEC hearing on 3 Sep 2015, Curley Matthews appeared with Meg Coker, Scott Rhines and Chuck Graves.  A report of this meeting is on the front and back pages of the Tunica Times 11 Sep 2015 issue reported by Meg Coker.  Throughout this recorded report there are quotes and/or statements by Meg Coker, Scott Rhines, Chuck Graves, Joe Eddie Hawkins, Ayanna Hawkins, Dolly Hudson, Curley Matthews, Mark Hudson, Bob Tuchel and myself.  On 24 Sep 2015 Meg Coker and Curley Matthews appeared on Channel 3 Memphis talking about our 4 Aug 2015 Primary.  The interview was recorded at the office of the Tunica Times.

My question now is this: If there is no support of Curley Matthews as stated above then why aren't the two Beat 2 residents helping both Curley Matthews and Rev. Daley?  None of us knows who the disenfranchised voters voted for....they could have voted for Curley Matthews or Rev. Daley.

I am always open to correcting statements if my statements are giving the wrong impression.  This blog is all about my opinions and my research of public documents.  I don't think it was necessary for The Tunica Times to have this letter sent to me.  I would suggest that The Tunica Times take a good look in the mirror when they make such accusations.  If this statement is not good enough for you, sing out, and I will make every effort to make The Tunica Times happy.  

Please vote for Rev. Daley.

Beat 4: And again, this is another race that was manipulated.  Craig Harris had a residency problem and was not allowed on the ballot.  So, who is trying to run against Sonny Nickson?  Another former Supervisor.  This Jackson guy was on the BOS from 2000 to 2003.  Guess what happened during these years?  The BOS issued a $30 million bond for the Arena; a $3 million bond for the Museum and a $15 million bond for the Airport Expansion.  At the very least, couldn't they have paid for the Museum?  Our income that year was $44,168,342.00.  And you want back on the BOS?  Jackson, you don't even come to BOS's Meetings.  Who put you up to run?  The guy who has your campaign sign in front of his funeral home?

Please vote for Sonny Nickson.

Beat 3: Phillis Williams has done a good job for Tunica County.

Please vote for Phillis Williams.

Beat 2: Now what can I say?  I've worked my fingers to the bone researching and reporting to you about our County Government.  Lots of people don't like it because I've exposed the wrong doing and they don't like me because I've upset their apple cart.  Too bad.  There isn't one candidate who is running against me that is involved in our government.  The white community is pushing a guy who is not involved but he has the landed gentry behind him with all of their money and their signs and their dinners....  Remember this is the same group of people who got us into this financial mess. They have lots of property and they don't want to pay taxes.  So, what is their solution?  In my opinion these folks are selfish beyond reason.  They want what they want and the rest of us can just live with it and their decisions. Isn't it time we all crawl out of Sugar Ditch? Together?

So what are you going to do Tunica County?  Are you going to vote to move forward and start paying off the huge debt left to us by former Supervisors?

I'm asking for your vote to be the next Supervisor for Beat 2.

I've done the work.  

I've put in the time. 

And I'm ready to serve.

VOTE FOR TRANSPARENCY

ELECT: BARBARA R. TUCHEL

SUPERVISOR BEAT 2