Insurance, Judicial Nomination, and Valley State President

The Mississippi Press - Still waiting for insurance revolution

After Hurricane Katrina, I made an off-the-cuff prediction. I figured when the rest of the country found out what we know about home insurance here on the coast, there would be a revolution.

It didn't happen. The fact is, the rest of the country didn't find out or at least they didn't listen. They still think they are covered.

That means it's left to our congressman Gene Taylor to wage his lone wolf campaign for insurance reform. And unfortunately, he's not getting very far.

Greenwood Commonwealth - Oliver hailed for making history

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., set the tone for the almost three-hour program by congratulating Oliver on becoming the first African-American woman to become president of a Mississippi university.

He likened Oliver’s arrival to the Itta Bena campus to President Barack Obama’s election in 2008.

“Just like change came to this country in No-vember of last year, change has come to the Valley,” he said. “Change, not only in the fact that we have a new leader, but the new leader is different from all of the other leaders that we’ve had. I really don’t have say it to you; all you have to do is look for yourself.”

Clarion Ledger - Appellate judge cutting workload

Federal Judge Rhesa Barksdale of Jackson has semi-retired, leaving a vacancy on the active roster of the 17-member 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Normally, U.S. senators make recommendations to the president for a federal judicial appointment.

But with a Democratic president and Mississippi having two Republican U.S. senators, the state's congressional Democrats probably will be asked for input on potential candidates, too.

Thompson's chief of staff, Lanier Avant, has said the trio of Democratic House members- Reps. Travis Childers, Bennie Thompson and Gene Taylor, will become an "echo chamber as well as a springboard" for nominees.