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PASCAGOULA -- The Jackson County Board of Supervisors voted Monday to release $350,000 to Singing River Mental Health but with stipulations. Supervisors want to review the agency's annual program audits and a state statute that governs how much financial participation is required of the county. Singing River Health's attorney, Karl Steinberger, said that without the county's support, the agency is in jeopardy of losing federal funding. During a Dec. 4 meeting, the board revealed it was withholding funds from Singing River Mental Health -- $100,000 budgeted to the agency last year and $300,000 or $25,000 per month this budget year -- until an explanation was given about the agency's performance following Hurricane Katrina. Singing River Mental Health's Executive Director Dr.
The sound of cinder blocks hitting the dirt is music to Roslyn Robinson's ears. The Johnson City woman spent her entire life dreaming of the day she'd own her own home. It was a struggle, but her dream is now her reality. "This is awesome," Robinson said. "This is more than I could ever want or hope for." Robinson sheds tears of joy as crews deliver and assemble her new three-bedroom home. She originally bought a home through Mountain Villa Homes, formerly of Kingsport, more than a year ago, but she says the company took her money and ran. She claimed despite buying a modular home from Mountain Villa more than a year ago and paying a monthly mortgage on it, the company never delivered her home. Robinson brought her concerns to us. Just months after we aired her story, Mountain Villa settled.
TEMECULA - Of the two nonprofit groups displaced by plans to build a new Temecula City Hall, the pending move of the Musicians Workshop will require the greatest leap of faith. With Temecula's financial help, a nonprofit food pantry has moved from its longtime Old Town home to a modular building that was recently placed along Pujol Street near the city-owned Temecula Community Center. That leaves the nonprofit music group, which will not receive city relocation assistance, to scramble for a new home amid rising rental costs in the historical business district that is quickly becoming the area's cultural hub. Reaching Out With earth-moving equipment waiting in the wings, workshop founders have launched a fund drive aimed at raising the $50,000 needed to lease space in an under-construction Old Town building, buy furniture and pay other costs.
NEW ORLEANS About 50 people demonstrated in front of Mayor Ray Nagin's house today, demanding the reopening of public housing in New Orleans. Nagin was not present for the demonstration, which capped off a week of several major developments concerning public housing in the city. Before Hurricane Katrina, where were about three thousand apartments that typically rented for 85 dollars a month. During the week, Nagin sent a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, asking Secretary Alphonso Jackson to immediately place a thousand units into service and open an additional thousand units with in 90 days. Nagin also asked that 750 scattered sites, possibly using modular homes, be set up. On Friday, the National Housing Partnership Foundation announced it would build three thousand units in the New Orleans area by 2009 to help with the housing crisis.
Many charitable organizations rely on contributions of time and goods to serve the needy, homeless, disabled and suffering people. The organizations here responded to The Eagle's annual request for information about year-round volunteer and supply needs as well as holiday needs. Many agencies need specific types of items; it's best to call and check with them before donating. Some may prefer donations of money instead ofgoods. The programs are in Wichita unless otherwise noted. Basic needs Caring Hearts, 5911 N. Maize Road, 316-722-2680, provides assistance with bills, food and clothing to families in the Maize school district. Needs 30 frozen turkeys, kids' socks and underwear, hygiene items, 100 plain cardboard boxes, monetary donations.
PASCAGOULA -- Having an entire customized home built in one day is a homeowner's dream come true, and two families along Beach Boulevard saw it happen Monday. Pelican Bay Custom Homes, along with New Era Construction, were at two sites along Beach Boulevard constructing high-end modular homes. The homes are built with 2-by-6-foot boards, and they feature a hardwood wrap and cement siding. They are engineered as well as a "stick home" and can be built to match or exceed hurricane building codes, Pelican Bay Construction Manager and Vice President Bob Smith said. "They're made to withstand 140 to 160 mile-per-hour winds," Smith said. Carl Megehee smiled as he watched construction on his new modular home, which was going up on the same spot his old house stood before Hurricane Katrina destroyed it.
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