Mississippi

Mississippi Wind-Mit Program Now Funded Through Surplus Lines Assn. Revenue

Published

7 months ago

May 28, 2024

Mississippi Wind-Mit Program Now Funded Through Surplus Lines Assn. Revenue

Almost two decades after it was established by the Mississippi Legislature, a storm and flood-mitigation grant program now has some funding – $5 million to be transferred from the Mississippi Surplus Lines Association.

“The Legislature didn’t appropriate the money. I went out and found it,” state Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said last week after announcing the signing of the bill that authorized the funding.

Mississippi now joins the growing list of Southeastern states that have provided some type of fund mechanism to help property owners fortify their structures against damage from wind and, in Mississippi’s case, flooding, in exchange for insurance premium discounts.

The $5 million for coastal counties in the Magnolia State is a far cry from the $200 million set aside this year by Florida lawmakers for matching grants for the My Safe Florida Home statewide wind-mitigation program. But it’s a start – at a time that some experts have said mitigation programs may be the best way to reduce losses and modulate rates as storms appear to be gaining in frequency and intensity, officials said.

Chaney

Mississippi Lawmakers authorized the fortification program in 2007 but never appropriated any funds for it, Chaney explained. With legislators reluctant to provide tax dollars, Chaney said he was able to tap into funds that had been building up in the surplus lines association for years. The association, a non-profit organization that works closely with the state Insurance Department on surplus lines matters, had accumulated as much as $9 million from the surplus lines tax and the stamping office fees, Chaney said.

“We’ve been planning on this since 2010,” he said.

Officials with the surplus lines association declined to comment about it last week.

This year, Mississippi House Bill 1705 authorized the transfer of the funding from the association to a fortification program trust fund. The governor signed the bill May 13. The program will provide grants of up to $10,000 per recipient, for homes that are retrofitted to standards developed by the Institute for Business and Home Safety. Mitigation work may include building or elevating homes above the flood line; installing hurricane straps for stronger roof-to-wall connections; adding storm shutters; and the purchase of flood insurance for vulnerable properties.

It’s only for the six Mississippi counties closest to the coastline. Chaney said he had hoped for a statewide program, including one that would help poultry farmers retrofit chicken houses to withstand high winds. But he said “politics” in the Capitol had blocked the statewide assistance plan. Perhaps next year the program can be expanded, he noted.

The Insurance Department also will be able to apply for public and private grants to help fortify homes, the bill notes. The department will soon issue a request for proposals on administering the program, and plans to have a web page available with more information on the grant program.

The text of HB 1705 can be seen here. A similar bill died in committee this spring.

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Mississippi State at Memphis Prediction, Game Preview & Betting Lines

Published

4 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Mississippi State at Memphis Prediction, Game Preview & Betting Lines

This is one of those games that three months from now will be talked about in a room full of people trying to create seeds for a big tournament.

Both Memphis and Mississippi State will soon dive deep into their respective conference schedules, they each have some nice things on the resumés, and at the moment, they’re fringe top 25ish teams. Memphis is 21st in the latest AP Poll, Mississippi State is just on the outside looking in.

The Bulldogs are on a run of three straight games away from home, the Tigers have lost two of their last five, and both are looking for a little consistency.

Memphis’ PJ Haggerty (4) dribbles down the court during the game between Arkansas State University and the University of Memphis at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Sunday, December 8, 2024. / Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Date: Saturday, December 21, 2024
Game Time: 12:30 pm
How To Watch: CBS
Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Teams: Mississippi State (10-1), Memphis (9-2)
Fiu Bluesky

Why Mississippi State Will Win

Memphis screws up a lot, and Mississippi State doesn’t.

The Tigers have two mega issues. They turn the ball over way too much, and they can’t guard anyone from three. Mississippi State doesn’t turn the ball over – it’s fourth in the nation in fewest giveaways – and it’s okay from three. At the very least, it’s good enough to give the Memphis perimeter defense a few problems, but …

Why Memphis Will Win

Mississippi State is even worse at guarding the three.

Butler went off on the SEC Bulldogs from the outside in MSU’s lone loss. Prairie View kept it WAY too close by hitting ten threes a few weeks ago, and McNeese State was on last week in a 66-63 MSU win.

Memphis might turn it over a ton, but it’ll make the extra pass to get the open three. It’s one of the best teams in the nation at hitting from outside, it’s great at getting to the free throw line, and …

Mississippi State at Memphis: Who Will Win?

Mississippi State has to make this a bit of a track meet. The Bulldogs are deep, and the Tigers aren’t.

And yeah, Memphis will make plenty of shots from the outside, turnovers will matter in this. As long as the Bulldogs can offset the ten threes the Tigers will hit with transition points, this should be close.

Memphis is just a wee bit better on the free throw line, and it’s way better from the outside.

Mississippi State at Memphis Prediction, Betting Lines

Prediction: Memphis 78, Mississippi State 74
Line: Memphis -1.5, o/u: 151.5

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Mississippi

Mississippi FBO Plans G100UL Sales

Published

12 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

A third fuel retailer has announced plans to sell GAMI’s G100UL unleaded avgas and in many ways it couldn’t be farther from the existing California facilities offering the fuel. Tupelo Aviation Unlimited, in the heart of Mississippi says it will have the high octane lead-free alternative for retail sale in mid January at $6.99 a gallon, 45 cents a gallon more than full-serve 100LL, which it will continue to carry. CEO Corey Gillard said unlike California, where leaded avgas is a hot button political, legal and environmental issue, his was purely a business and marketing decision. “There are so few ways to differentiate yourself in this industry,” he said. “We want to be a pioneer, we want to be a leader.”

The first load of G100UL was delivered Friday from the Vitol refinery in Louisiana and the equipment will be calibrated and readied for retail sales to begin mid month. A fly-in will be held in the spring and GAMI officials will be there offering discounted STCs to based and fly-in aircraft. “We’re excited to lead the way for the rest of the country with this important transition in aviation,”
said Gillard, who is President of Airport Management Solutions, LLC, the FBO’s parent company “By offering G100UL, we are
taking a significant step toward a cleaner, more sustainable future for aviation, and we’re proud to
be the first FBO outside of California to offer it.”

GAMI President Tim Roehl said the availability of the fuel outside California is a significant milestone. “Tupelo Aviation and the Tupelo
Regional Airport can now serve as a preferential destination for aviators seeking to remove lead
deposits from their engines and support the safe and orderly transition to unleaded avgas and a
sustainable future for all of General Aviation,” Roehl said.

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Mississippi

Man arrested for allegedly stealing $64,000 tractor in Mississippi

Published

20 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

Man arrested for allegedly stealing ,000 tractor in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A man is behind bars after a tractor valued at $64,000 was recovered in Washington County, Mississippi.

This week, the Mississippi Agriculture and Livestock Theft Bureau equipment and arrested Doug Showah of Sunflower County following an investigation into the theft of a stolen John Deere 3039R tractor.

The MALTB first received information about the stolen tractor on October 23.

The tractor was later determined to be stolen from Washington County. On or about November 22, the tractor was located in Sunflower County and tied back to Doug Showah of Indianola.

Tuesday, MALTB investigators searched M & D Aviation, a business owned by Doug Showah, and discovered the John Deere tractor. During the search, a Polaris 1000 side-by-side valued at $18,300 that was stolen out of Ashley County, Arkansas, was also recovered.

Stolen Polaris side-by-side from Arkansas recovered in Mississippi.(MALTB)

Showah was charged with two counts of receiving stolen property.

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