Start school later

in summer

I don’t think it’s fair to have kids going back to school so early in the summer, or having teachers have to report for work so early in the summer. Aug. 1 is way too early to start school, and it is way too hot for anyone to focus on school work. It

It used to be that school didn’t start back until the day after Labor Day in September. Then someone had a bright idea of everyone starting back to school the last Friday in August before Labor Day – taking away everyone’s Labor Day weekend fun and the last days of summer fun.

Then they started pushing up the day kids and teachers went back to school further into August. Where does it all end? Before you know it they’ll get the idea to start kids and teachers back to school in July. Or worse yet, have them going to school all year-around with no summer vacation, no winter break, no spring break, no time off for Thanksgiving – just to school, school work and homework. There will be no fun at all, because there won’t be any time for it – especially with the arts and music programs being cut from school programs, along with other programs, claiming they are unnecessary making them expendable.

Kids need those programs more than ever because it promotes creativity which helps them learn better.

Stop all the mess with pushing up the first day of school further into the hot summer months.

Roger Burt

Lauderdale

 

Finding life, liberty, freedom in unity

This note is not about the beliefs of one person. It is about the future of a people. The beliefs of a nation. The demonstration that a species can believe that they can make a difference for the ones who follow them. A belief that tomorrow will be better. That next week will be peaceful. That next year will be the greatest year in human history. That our future will be set in stone from the actions of today.

To remember our fathers and their fathers and generations before who have their lives for our freedom. Who have their lives to make sure that we have a choice. A choice to believe that our actions matter. That they can change the world. That we have a choice on not only how we live but why we live. To breath freedom. To speak freedom. To live in freedom so that one day not just a nation will be free but that the entire human race can live free.

But first we need to put away our differences. Put away our politics. Forgive our spiritual bias and decide to come together as one for the betterment of tomorrow.

We as American’s as the leaders of the free world should be developing efforts to stand as a beacon of hope for the persecuted and the rejected. As the most powerful nation in the world it is our duty to our ancestors to continue their work and honor their sacrifices. Life, liberty and freedom.

Daniel Gray

Collinsville

Bothered by need

for new jail

Does it bother anyone that our 19-year-old jail already needs to be replaced? This reeks of ineptitude or corruption.

Michael Anderson

Meridian

Kemper County energy facility drives

economic growth

For the better part of the last decade, our regional economy has experienced incredible growth.  A central driver of this progress has been Mississippi Power Company’s construction of the Kemper County energy facility. The Kemper County energy facility was a way to modernize and diversify Mississippi Power’s energy resources. The technology at the Kemper County Coal Plant worked; but in today’s energy market where natural gas has dropped to historic lows, the plant cannot operate economically. Mississippi Power has suspended the operation of the coal portion of the Kemper Power Plant and is currently in settlement discussions to bring a resolution to the Kemper project. The plant will continue to run on natural gas.

While Mississippi Power works to settle the plant cost and rate, it is important to note that Mississippi Power is asking for no rate increase. Mississippi Power has also absorbed the loss on the coal part of the plant. The only costs of the Kemper plant currently in customer bills are those associated with the natural gas power plant which has operated for three years, supplying over 186,000 customers with reliable, affordable electricity.

In 2015, every Mississippi Power customer received a refund for ALL monies that had been previously included in customer billing. At the same time, Mississippi Power lowered the rate charged to all customers. Mississippi Power Company has been and will continue to operate in the best interest of their customers.

Mississippi Power has always delivered the reliable and affordable energy that we are accustomed to, but we should not forget the total value they provide directly to East Mississippi.  Mississippi Power created 6,000 jobs and partnered with companies in Lauderdale County in building the Kemper facility. Mississippi Power has been a supporter of economic development, education and local organizations locally and around our State for over 90 years. Mississippi would not be where we are today without their help.

Mississippi Power Company looks forward to the continued delivery of reliable energy for our state and our region.

I am proud to serve on the company’s board and hope that the state regulators ensure a fair outcome for one of East Mississippi’s great partners.

M. L. Waters