Jessica Jefferson

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

A Marion County woman who is trying to get her mentally handicapped brother removed from what she calls unsanitary living conditions may have a hard fight ahead of her.

A vulnerable adult can only be removed from a home when he is in “great danger” and is incapable of making his own decisions, said Edna Clark, with the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

Last week, Jessica Jefferson told the Marion County Informer that her 28-year-old brother, Joseph Jefferson, is being housed in unfit conditions at his aunt’s house on Lafayette Street in the Columbia city limits.  Jefferson claims her brother sleeps on soiled sheets, eats cold food out of a can and is mistreated in other ways. The aunt, Angela Jefferson, disputes that the living conditions are unsuitable and says DHS has checked out the home. To see last week’s story click this link: http://bit.ly/depGw6

The alleged conditions Jefferson’s brother lives in may not meet the ”great danger” standard that DHS requires to remove him from the home. Clark said what is considered “great danger” is determined on a case-by-case basis. There is no definition of great danger, but it could described as a situation where a person could die or suffer irreversible harm, said Clark.

DHS investigates vulnerable adult cases.

Clark, program administrator for DHS Adult Protective Services in Jackson, said she is not permitted to speak about specific cases but did talk generally about vulnerable adult laws. Only about 15 cases a year involve removing a vulnerable adult from the home, and statewide DHS investigated 2,087 vulnerable adult cases last year.

Vulnerable adults can be abused sexually, emotionally and physically, neglected by a caregiver and exploited financially. “It is really a horrific, sad and growing problem,” said Clark. “It is underreported.”

DHS investigates vulnerable adult cases by assessing the physical home environment and conducting interviews. DHS by law must conduct investigations within 48 hours of receiving a report, according to Clark. In some cases the alleged victim cannot talk, and a non-biased credible source with knowledge of the situation is interviewed.

DHS assigns a level of risk to the situation ranging from low to medium to high. In low and medium risk cases, the vulnerable adult stays in the home, and DHS makes recommendations to the caregiver to improve the situation. 

Jessica Jefferson says her brother is being held in unfit conditions at this house on Lafayette Street in the Columbia city limits.

“One of our primary goals is to help vulnerable adults remain in their home community as long as possible and as safely as possible,” said Clark.

To improve the situation, DHS may refer the caregiver to cost-free organizations in the community that can help. Such organizations could be mental health, home health and homemaker services.  Home health could include nurses and aides coming into the home to help with the delivery of care, and homemaker services can assist with basic household tasks such as laundry and grocery shopping. There could be a waiting list to receive such services, said Clark, adding, “There are not enough services for vulnerable adults in the state.”

After a home is investigated, Clark said a plan of action can be put in place to improve the situation for the vulnerable adult. However, it is not required that the caregiver abide by the action plan, so in reality the situation could remain the same with no repercussions for the caregiver.

Removing a vulnerable adult from a home requires the DHS legal division petitioning the Chancery Court.

There are not enough case workers in DHS to conduct follow-up investigations to determine if situations have improved, Clark said. “We have a small crew covering the entire state,” Clark stated, adding that cases are prioritized. Statewide, there are 21 ”front-line” investigators that actually go into homes to investigate situations.

When DHS investigates a home where a vulnerable adult is being housed, the findings are forwarded to the Attorney General’s Office Vulnerable Adults Unit. The Attorney General can criminally prosecute the caregiver if there is reason to believe a vulnerable adult is being exploited, abused or neglected.

Before a vulnerable adult is removed from a home he is examined by two doctors to determine if he is capable of making his own decisions. If the adult has mental capacity, it is his choice if he wants to stay in a dangerous situation. If the adult cannot make sound decisions, the DHS legal division petitions Chancery Court to have the vulnerable adult removed from the home.

A Chancery Court  judge appoints a conservator to handle the vulnerable adult’s affairs such as finances and where he should be placed after removal. The vulnerable adult could end up at a nursing home, a relative’s house or a mental facility.

If you suspect a vulnerable adult is being abused, neglected or exploited, call the DHS Hotline at 1-800-222-8000. DHS investigates reports of alleged abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults residing in private home settings including unlicensed personal care homes with three or fewer residents unrelated to the operator. If you are aware of vulnerable adult abuse you are required to report it. For additional information on vulnerable adult laws visit www.mdhs.state.ms.us.

Vulnerable adult defined: A person 18 years of age or older or any minor whose ability to perform the normal activities of daily living or to provide for his or her own care or protection is impaired due to a:  mental, emotional, physical, or developmental disability or dysfunction; brain damage; the infirmities of aging.

These jars contain brown water directly from the faucet, according to Hub Water Association customer Kim Stringer.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

Hub Water Association customer Kim Stringer is tired of brown and rust-colored water coming from her home faucets.

“No one wants to drink that,” said Stringer, as she sat at the kitchen table at her house with her neighbor Michele Pierce, who also has problems with dirty water. The situation has been going on for two years, and customers are getting more upset the longer it continues.

Stringer, Pierce and other customers plan to voice their concerns at the Hub Water Association board meeting this Saturday at 2 p.m. at 1844 Highway 13 South. It is unclear what is causing the water to be brown, but Stringer hopes the board provides some answers.

“We hope to have a great crowd at the board meeting,” said Stringer of the Enon community in Marion County. “We want something fixed.”

Hub Water Association Board member John Dale Bullock said the water is safe to drink and that he thinks the problem may be related to a well. “I think the well has gone bad,” said Bullock, adding that a new well is being drilled.

The Hub Water Association board meets this Saturday, and customers are expected to show up to voice their concerns over the dirty water.

Because of the dirty water, Pierce said her children brush their teeth at school. Clothes that were once white are now stained after being washed in the brown water. Pierce said she has to take her husband’s dress clothes to the dry cleaners. After a bath, residue is left behind in the bathtub.

The women added that they always keep bottled water around so they don’t have to drink brown water. Sometimes the water is clear, and it is sporadic in terms of when it turns brown. Pierce thinks the water problem is becoming more frequent, and customers don’t want to pay bills of $40-$50 a month for brown water.

Stringer and Pierce recently canvassed their neighborhood spreading the word about the Water Association board meeting this Saturday. Stringer even set up a Web site, http://tinyurl.com/hubwater, where customers can leave complaints about their water. She has also been in contact with the Water Association Office, the Mississippi Department of Health and the Marion County Health Department about the situation.

Sometimes the water has a strong smell of chlorine in it, and some of the jars of water show that particles have settled to the bottom.

Hub Water Association board member Bullock said his water has also been the color of tea and that others have complained to him about their water.

About 1,100 customers are served by the Hub Water Association, according to Bullock. “People are calling me bellyaching all the time,” said Bullock. “I’m telling them we’re doing all we can do. We sympathize with them.”

Bullock said a million gallons of water is flushed out of the system each month to try and clear up the water. He also said the chemicals used in the system are being checked out.

Another board member, Greg Prine, said he is not at liberty to discuss the situation, adding that Board President Lewis Polk answers all questions. Polk could not be reached for comment.

Other board members could not be reached for comment either. They are C.J. McLeod, Ray Sones, Neal Loftin, Bobby Broom, Gary Prine and Ricky Broom.

The Clarion-Ledger reports that at least one Mississippi man is among the missing in the oil rig explosion. To see the story click here: Miss. man said among missing | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger.

The Informer is trying to determine if there were any Marion County residents on the oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico last night. Donnie Williams of Marion County used to work on the rig but is unsure if there were any Marion County residents working on it when it exploded.  The Informer has left a message with the rig company, Houston-based Transocean.  Here is a story from the New York Times about the explosion that occurred off the coast of Louisiana : Workers Missing After Oil Rig Blast – NYTimes.com.

There are plans to convert Columbia's movie theater into a facility where live performances can be put on.

By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher

There are big plans to convert Columbia’s movie theater into a facility where plays and other live performances can take place.

The owner of the two-screen theater, Scotty Arinder, told the Marion County Informer this morning that he plans to sell the facility to a group of about seven local residents who want to remodel the building. He said the group, which he is not disclosing, plans to have community fundraisers to get the funds for the remodel.

It will take an estimated $500,000 to make the improvements, which include putting in a balcony, staircase and taking out the middle wall that divides the two theaters to make just one 400-seat auditorium.

Arinder said the plan is to continue showing movies in the facility as well as do plays and other live performances. Arinder said he will sell the building for about $60,000 and hopes to have the sale final this summer.

Having a facility where community theater can be performed will be good for Downtown, said Arinder, adding, “It’s sad to see how Downtown has deteriorated through the years.”

Arinder said he feels the theater will be more “viable” once the project is complete. The theater has not made any money for him in the past three years and has been closed for six weeks. With the money to do the remodel coming through local fundraisers, the community as a whole will have a sense of ownership in the project, said Arinder.

The facilty was originally a place where live performances were put on, and there is still a stage behind the movie screen. Arinder, who has owned the building for 10 years, does not know when the remodel will be completed.

Goss Baptist Church is hosting an exciting event beginning Sunday (April 18) and running through Wednesday.

Through live demonstrations and drama, Wade and Jennifer Burleigh of Jefferson, Oregon use a selection “first century” style techniques, including: wood sculpting, blacksmithing, pottery, and more, to teach the love and lessons of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday the demonstration will take place at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., and on Monday through Wednesday (April 19-21) it will be at 7 p.m.

Your attention is locked onto Wade’s highly skilled artistic hands while Jennifer narrates the story.

For example, in their presentation called “Crown of Thorns”, a cedar log is carved into a magnificent head of Jesus Christ right before your eyes. That alone is a powerful presentation, but it gets better — as the thorns are slowly pounded in, Wade sings in his rich baritone voice a heart wrenching song of how they represent each of our sins. It will leave it’s mark on your heart never to be forgotten. It moves crowds to repentance. It even has brought tears to the eyes of many. All ages are captivated by it.

Wade and Jennifer bring this raw biblical truth to your church or event using real live action. Complete with authentic first century props, displays, clothing, and sounds along with powerful live songs and music.

Information from Wade and Jennifer Burleigh’s Web site.

From left, Friends of the Library officers, Vice President Brandi Perry, Secretary Kim Lynn, and President Ron Jordan.

If you have a young child, grade third to fifth, who would like to be a “Rose” for the library, their first meeting is today from 3:30-4:15 p.m. They will be electing officers and talking about what they can do to support their library. C.J. Swayze will head up the meeting If you have questions, please call Mona Swayze at 736-5516.

A Friends of the Library meeting will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Columbia-Marion County Public Library. Freda Hartness from Clinton will speak about the next steps for the Friends of the Library group.

At the previous Friends of the Library meeting, Ron Jordan was elected president of the group, Brandi Perry vice president, Kim Lynn secretary and Brett Windham treasurer.

The second annual Blessing of the Catch is this Saturday at Lake Columbia.

The event features an adult fishing tournament that will start at safe light, and a children’s fishing tournament for ages 12 and under will take place from 8-11 a.m.

First place in the adult fishing tournament is $750; second place $500 and $250 for third place.

For the children’s contest, first place is $75; second place $50; third place $25. Participants are responsible for their license, lake regulations and fees.

There will also be games, free food, door prizes and the keynote speaker is professional fisherman Jim Phillips. Little River and the Camerons will perform gospel singing at the pavilion.

Many door prizes will be awarded including the grand prize drawing for a 37-inch HD TV.

For further details contact Improve Baptist Church between 8 a.m. and noon at (601) 736-4947 or at improvechurch@dishmail.net.

Marion County’s unemployment rate for February remained unchanged from January at 13.2 percent, according to figures released today.

Unemployment in Marion County has skyrocketed from a year ago when it was 8.4 percent. The county has a labor force of 11,120 and 1,470 are unemployed.

Mississippi’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February was 11.4 percent, up from 11 percent in February and 9.1 percent a year ago. The nation’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged from the previous month at 9.7 percent but was 1.5 percent higher than a year ago.