JXN Water confirmed to station WLBT this week that it shut off drinking water for an apartment complex in the city that was late on paying its bills, but declined to tell Mississippi Today how many total accounts have been suspended so far.

The third-party utility, which was established in 2022 through a federal court order, said it began shutting off water connections for not paying water bills in March. But when asked if it had a number of how many accounts or connections were shut off for overdue bills, JXN Water declined to say.

“No, as in we are not releasing that number,” Aisha Carson, a media spokesperson for JXN Water, told Mississippi Today on Thursday. “We’re not talking about it publicly.”

The complex that JXN Water did comment on was The Gardenside Apartments, a property just west of State Street on Northside Drive. Management with the complex didn’t respond to a request for comment, but an advertisement on Apartments.com says Gardenside contains 144 units with rent for one-bedroom apartments starting at $749.

The advertisement also reads: “Water, Sewer and Trash included!”

The complex’s website listed just two vacancies as of Thursday afternoon.

JXN Water told WLBT that it made “repeated attempts” to collect on Gardenside’s past due bills. The TV station reported that complex owes $149,000 and has not made a payment since 2017.

“That company that owns (Gardenside) owns more than one apartment complex in Jackson,” Carson said. “None of their accounts are current, and they have not been responsive to our requests at all.”

The registered agent for Gardenside on the state’s business registry database is Moshe Weber. The address listed for Weber in the Mississippi Secretary of State’s website matches one listed for a New York Life insurance agent with the same name in Brooklyn, New York. Weber did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

In April, JXN Water told WLBT that five apartment complexes, not including Gardenside, owed over $1.8 million in water bills. All five were owned by out-of-state companies.

Carson wouldn’t specify what other complexes are at risk of having their water shut off, but said some have reached out to JXN Water to work out payment plans since the April news.

“We are actively enforcing our severance process for apartment complexes that are more than 90 days behind (on their water bill),” she said.

In a Wednesday press release, JXN Water said it will send a property manager multiple notices before beginning the severance process. The utility also encouraged tenants in Jackson apartment complexes to ask their property management companies whether their accounts with JXN Water are current.

If you live in Jackson and have had your water shutoff due to your apartment complex not paying its bill or for any other reasons, reach out to us at [email protected].

Republish This Story

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.

Help shape our climate coverage by taking this short survey.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Water service is being shut off at some apartment complexes in Mississippi’s capital city because of long-unpaid bills, the company that runs the Jackson water system said Wednesday.

JXN Water said in a statement that it has made “major strides in improving the consistency and reliability” of water flowing to customers in the city of about 144,000 residents.

“To maintain our progress in improving the system, everyone must pay their fair share,” said the company, which is headed by Ted Henifin, an administrator who was appointed by a federal judge in 2022 to oversee the water system.

About 25% of Jackson residents live in poverty, and the city struggled for years with water quality problems and understaffing at its water treatment plants. The water system nearly collapsed in August and September 2022, leaving tens of thousands of people without water for drinking, bathing, cooking or flushing.

Henifin has said inconsistent billing and unpaid bills have exacerbated the system’s financial problems.

JXN Water said that before shutting off service, it contacted apartment management companies multiple times and gave notice of disconnection. The cutoffs were announced as temperatures topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius).

“We understand the impact on residents who may not be directly responsible for the non-payment,” the JXN Water statement said. “We encourage residents in affected properties to engage with their property management company immediately to understand the steps being taken to restore service.”

WAPT-TV reported that water was shut off for part of Tuesday at Gardenside Apartments, where residents’ rent payments are supposed to include water service. JXN Water told the station that Gardenside Apartments managers had last paid water bills in 2017, and the complex’s overdue amount was more than $148,000.

The Associated Press called the complex management Wednesday, but the call went to a voicemail box that was full and could not take additional messages.

Audwin Reese, a military veteran who lives in Gardenside Apartments, told WAPT that he was checking on neighbors who were without running water, including a 93-year-old woman.

Read original article by clicking here.

JXN Water has announced that shut-offs have begun for multi-family apartment complexes with unpaid water bills.

The announcement from the city’s municipal water operator, run by interim third-party manager Ted Henifin, was made on Wednesday as officials look to enforce the payment of water bills. Per a report from WLBT, the city is owed nearly $2 million dollars for unpaid water services from at least five different apartment complexes, all of which are owned by non-Mississippi companies.

One complex that has recently endured discontinuation of services is Gardenside Apartments on West Northside Drive. Ownership of the apartment complex allegedly owes close to $150,000 as they have not paid bills in approximately seven years.

“JXN Water has made major strides in improving the consistency and reliability of water throughout the Jackson community. To maintain our progress in improving the system, everyone must pay their fair share,” a portion of a press release from JXN Water reads.

“We are thankful to the residents and businesses who have consistently paid their water bills. To protect our paying customers’ contribution to the system, we must hold people accountable who have outstanding balances with JXN Water.”

Officials added that the property management companies with outstanding bills have been contacted multiple times and have been issued a notice of disconnection in advance to ensure that property owners have ample opportunity to address any payment issues. If no action is taken to resolve the outstanding balance, the property then enters the severance process.

Residents may inadvertently fall victim to these shut-offs. JXN Water administrators urge those in properties that may be impacted to take action immediately.

“We understand the impact on residents who may not be directly responsible for the non-payment,” the release from JXN Water states. “We encourage residents in affected properties to engage with their property management company immediately to understand the steps being taken to restore service.”

U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate appointed Henifin to oversee water operations in Jackson following the 2022 crisis that left the overwhelming majority of residents without clean drinking water or enough water pressure to flush toilets for 48

Read original article by clicking here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• Officials from Visit Hattiesburg have identified a variety of hamburger offerings at 33 restaurants around the city.

The city of Hattiesburg is known for many things. The University of Southern Mississippi. Stunning natural surroundings. Top class medical facilities. And hamburgers. 

Officials from Visit Hattiesburg have identified a variety of hamburger offerings at 33 restaurants around the city and they have created a hamburger trail, complete with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. The trail runs west from Hattiesburg to downtown, and was developed to kick off Hattiesburg’s third annual Restaurant Week last fall. 

“Fulfilling our mission of attracting visitors to Hattiesburg, we are always exploring best practices in the travel and tourism industry,” said Marlo Dorsey, executive director of Visit Hattiesburg. “Nationwide, foodie trails and tours are highly popular, and it’s certainly a big growth opportunity for us. Hattiesburg’s culinary sector draws people from far and wide, and this new addition of the Hatties[burger] Trail is now one more delicious and fun reason to visit the Hub City.”

Food trails have become quite popular in Mississippi. We have the Mississippi Tamale Trail, the Mississippi Seafood Trail, the Farm-to-Fork Foodie Trail in the Mississippi Hill country, and the Mississippi Barbeque Trail. 

Most of those trails cross different parts of the state, but the Hattiesburger Trail is contained within the city limits of Hattiesburg. Hamburger stops on the west side of town include Pier 98 Bar & Grill, Cotton Blues Kitchen & Marketplace, Po-Boy Express and Sidelines Sports Café. 

Midtown Hattiesburg includes several restaurants in The District at Midtown – including Ed’s Burger Joint – along with Strick’s BBQ, Burger Theory, Sully’s Tavern and more.

The Avenues features restaurants such as the iconic Gold Post, Colludium Brewing Company, Petra Café and Murky Waters. 

Downtown Hattiesburg offers stops such as the historic Coney Island Café, opened in 1923 by Arthur Fokakis, a Greek immigrant. The restaurant is now owned and operated by a fourth generation in the Fokakis family. Other downtown burger offerings can be found at the Art of Roux Food Truck, and yes, even at Triangle Seafood.

Robert St. John, owner of The Midtowner, Crescent City Grill and Ed’s Burger Joint, said he is honored that Visit Hattiesburg chose those restaurants to highlight on the Hatties[burger] Trail.

“One of the best-kept secrets in town is the burger at Crescent City,” he said. “But at Ed’s, it’s what we do, and what we do best. At Ed’s we use Certified Angus beef with the two-patty method. When you use two patties, there is more surface area to grill and that’s where all of the flavor is developed. We appreciate the good folks at Visit Hattiesburg for showcasing all of the great burgers that are available in our area, and we are proud to be among that number.”

A full list of stops can be found online at www.visithburg.org, and brochures detailing the trail and its stops can be picked up outside the Hattiesburg Visitor’s Center.

“Download a copy of the new brochure, and then go try some hamburgers in Hattiesburg,” said Kristen Brock, director of programs and promotions at Visit Hattiesburg. 

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• … Who opens and no one will shut. – Revelation 3:7

Jesus is the keeper of the gates of paradise, and before every believing soul He sets an open door, which no man or devil will be able to close. What joy it will be to find that faith in Him is the golden key to the everlasting doors. My soul, do you carry this key close to you, or are you trusting in some dishonest locksmith who will fail you in the end?

Pay attention to a parable of the preacher, and remember it. The great King has made a banquet, and He has proclaimed to all the world that no one will enter except those who bring with them the fairest flower that blooms. The spirits of men advance to the gate by thousands, and each one brings the flower that he esteems the queen of the garden; but in crowds they are driven from the royal presence and do not enter into the festive halls. Some are carrying the poisonous plant of superstition, others the flaunting poppies of empty religion, and some the hemlock of self-righteousness; but these are not precious to the King, and so those carrying them are shut out of the pearly gates.

My soul, have you gathered the rose of Sharon? Do you wear the lily of the valley on your lapel constantly? If so, when you arrive at the gates of heaven you will know its value, for you only have to show this choicest of flowers, and the Porter will open and without a moment’s delay, for to that rose the Porter always opens. You will find your way with the rose of Sharon in your hand up to the throne of God Himself, for heaven itself possesses nothing that excels its radiant beauty, and of all the flowers that bloom in paradise, none of them can rival the lily of the valley. My soul, get Calvary’s blood-red rose into your hand by faith, by love wear it, by communion preserve it, by daily watchfulness make it your all in all, and you will be blessed beyond all bliss, happy beyond a dream. Jesus, be mine forever, my God, my heaven, my all.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• … Who opens and no one will shut. – Revelation 3:7

Jesus is the keeper of the gates of paradise, and before every believing soul He sets an open door, which no man or devil will be able to close. What joy it will be to find that faith in Him is the golden key to the everlasting doors. My soul, do you carry this key close to you, or are you trusting in some dishonest locksmith who will fail you in the end?

Pay attention to a parable of the preacher, and remember it. The great King has made a banquet, and He has proclaimed to all the world that no one will enter except those who bring with them the fairest flower that blooms. The spirits of men advance to the gate by thousands, and each one brings the flower that he esteems the queen of the garden; but in crowds they are driven from the royal presence and do not enter into the festive halls. Some are carrying the poisonous plant of superstition, others the flaunting poppies of empty religion, and some the hemlock of self-righteousness; but these are not precious to the King, and so those carrying them are shut out of the pearly gates.

My soul, have you gathered the rose of Sharon? Do you wear the lily of the valley on your lapel constantly? If so, when you arrive at the gates of heaven you will know its value, for you only have to show this choicest of flowers, and the Porter will open and without a moment’s delay, for to that rose the Porter always opens. You will find your way with the rose of Sharon in your hand up to the throne of God Himself, for heaven itself possesses nothing that excels its radiant beauty, and of all the flowers that bloom in paradise, none of them can rival the lily of the valley. My soul, get Calvary’s blood-red rose into your hand by faith, by love wear it, by communion preserve it, by daily watchfulness make it your all in all, and you will be blessed beyond all bliss, happy beyond a dream. Jesus, be mine forever, my God, my heaven, my all.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.

• A COVID-era federal law prevented states from checking eligibility for Medicaid enrollment over a 3-year period, leading to a large spike in Medicaid enrollment. In 2023, states began checking for eligibility again.

Mississippi’s Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment spiked during COVID by nearly 190,000 residents, a 26 percent increase. The end of a COVID-era law, one which prevented states from checking the income eligibility of individuals enrolled for three years, has seen the state’s Medicaid enrollment fall to near pre-pandemic levels.

Back in March of 2020, the federal government enacted the Families First Coronavirus Response Act at the start of the COVID pandemic. Among the law’s many provisions was a policy known as “continuous coverage.” The provision prevented states from removing people from Medicaid once enrolled, regardless of whether income changes during the pandemic made them ineligible.

In exchange, the federal government increased the “Federal Medical Assistance Percentage” by 6.2 percent during the period of continuous coverage, meaning that states received more federal dollars to help fund their Medicaid programs.

“I would say the financial benefit of the FMAP increase outweighed the additional cost of the 26 percent enrollment growth (during the pandemic),” Drew Snyder, Executive Director of the Mississippi Division of Medicaid, told Magnolia Tribune. Snyder pointed out that young people on the rolls of CHIP were less likely to be heavy users of their coverage.

As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congress set a deadline of March 31, 2023, to end “continuous coverage.” On April 1st of last year, states began checking eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP enrollment, again. The process has been referred to as “unwinding,” and is occurring not just in Mississippi, but across the nation.

There are two primary categories of ineligible individuals being disenrolled; those who are turning in renewal paperwork, but who make too much income to be enrolled, and those who are not returning renewal paperwork verifying their income eligibility (sometimes called “procedural disenrollment”).

Snyder said that during the unwinding period, the number of Mississippians enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP decreased by nearly 190,000, returning enrollment to just slightly above pre-pandemic levels.

Before the pandemic, 716,896 residents of the Magnolia State were receiving Medicaid or CHIP benefits. At the height of the pandemic, Mississippi had nearly 904,700 people enrolled in either of those programs. Today that number is 718,028.

“Basically by the end of the unwinding period we had about 718,000 people enrolled, so a lot of the folks who were disenrolled were very likely to be ineligible when those re-verifications were restarted,” Snyder described.

Snyder noted that when eligibility determinations resumed in 2023, about 45,000 young adults aged out of qualifying to receive CHIP benefits.

Another category of recipient that led to the COVID-era spike was women who were pregnant when the pandemic began. When the pandemic began, a pregnant woman earning up to 194 percent of the federal poverty level was eligible for Medicaid coverage, including 60 days of postpartum coverage. The FFCRA’s “continuous coverage,” however, meant that woman was maintained on the Medicaid rolls until March of last year.

“So let’s say we have someone who was on the rolls in January of 2020 who gave birth, that coverage would have normally ended at the end of March 2020, but when continuous coverage occurred, that coverage would go on [until March of 2023],” said Snyder.

The Mississippi Legislature in 2023 expanded the duration of postpartum Medicaid coverage to a year.

Snyder also said that some people are confusing disenrollment, with a lack of coverage.

“I think one thing that also gets missed in the discussion about this, is there is a difference between losing insurance coverage and no longer qualifying for Medicaid.”

Some who were on Medicaid during the three-year continuous coverage period became employed and obtained employer sponsored health insurance. others have turned to the ACA exchange to find coverage. The ACA exchange is a government subsidized marketplace where individuals can obtain private individual health insurance.

“A lot of the narrative focuses on how many people had been disenrolled from Medicaid during the unwinding, but not as much attention was placed on how many people gained coverage during this continuous coverage requirement,” Snyder stated.

Anyone who has lost coverage, but feels they still qualify, can provide the necessary information and documents at their local Medicaid office, or online.

Snyder said for most of the population, income is a driving factor determining eligibility, but a person’s age and disability status are also factors. Online renewals and reaching out to recipients via email and text messaging are new features added to Mississippi’s Medicaid Division post-pandemic.

“There’s been a concerted effort to improve awareness and make it easier to keep coverage,” Snyder described.

This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Read original article by clicking here.

To this day, Donna Echols regrets not taking a photo of her ex-husband, Jim Mabus, during their family’s Easter holiday gathering last year. Although they had been divorced for some time, Echols still maintained a great friendship with Mabus, the father to her sons, Denver and Jake.

“He went by the nickname ‘Diamond Jim,’” Echols said in an interview with the Mississippi Free Press on June 27. “He had a story about everything, a joke for every occasion. He was a great father to four sons and a really good friend to those who knew him.”

Jim Mabus (center) died on May 4, 2023, a week after suffering a stroke at a home in Jackson, Miss. Mabus’ ex-wife, Donna Echols, said she waited more than 90 minutes for an ambulance to respond to her calls for help. He is seen here with his sons Jake Mabus (left) and Denver Mabus (right). Photo courtesy of Donna Echols ” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?fit=780%2C520&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” src=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols-1024×683.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1″ alt=”A man and his two sons stand together outside” class=”wp-image-44201″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jake_Jim_and_Denver-Mabus_courtesy-Donna-Echols-1024×683.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px” data-recalc-dims=”1″>Jim Mabus (center) died on May 4, 2023, a week after suffering a stroke at a home in Jackson, Miss. Mabus’ ex-wife, Donna Echols, said she waited more than 90 minutes for an ambulance to respond to her calls for help. He is seen here with his sons Jake Mabus (left) and Denver Mabus (right). Photo courtesy of Donna Echols

Often, Mabus came over to Echols’ home in Jackson, Miss., and the pair shared meals with the family.

So it was no surprise to Echols when Mabus agreed to look after her North Jackson home and care for her pets in April 2023 while she traveled out of the country for her son’s wedding.

Unbeknownst to them both, that Easter was the last holiday they would spend together. And what happened next would spur a legislative effort to change how counties make contracts with ambulance services.

‘I’ve Never Asked For Anything Personal, But I’m Asking For

Read original article by clicking here.