Starkville, Miss. (Starkville Daily News) – Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, a Republican who is also running for lieutenant governor, stopped by the SDN office on Monday to talk about voting efforts from his office, security for Mississippi’s election process and his life on the campaign trail. For more, read Tuesday’s Starkville Daily News.

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Tupelo, Miss. (Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal) – You will be hard pressed to find individuals who are not annoyed by the continual flow of phone calls from telemarketers. And as much of a harassment as it can be to receive calls soliciting sales of cruise lines, home security systems or time shares, it becomes much worse when the motivation of the caller is malevolent.

State officials are trying to provide more relief from telephone scammers with recent changes to the state’s Telephone Solicitation Act, as reported by the Daily Journal’s Taylor Vance.

During a joint press conference on Monday between Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley, Southern District Public Service Commissioner Sam Britton and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, the officials announced changes that will remove existing exemptions for charities.

Currently, charitable organizations are required to register with the Secretary of State’s Office, but many are exempt from the solicitation requirements and are allowed to request donations by phone and by text. The problem is many dubious charities were taking advantage of this provision and were making a significant number of cold-calls, trying to scam people and steal money.

“When we looked into these complaints and began to work and investigate, what we found was there was a paid telemarketing firm almost consistently that was being paid to make these calls,” Presley said. “This (law) will enable us to work with the Secretary of State’s office and to put a stop to much of this activity which sometimes, quite frankly, can border on being criminal activity.”

Mississippians are known for their generosity, as the most charitable state in the nation. It is despicable that anyone would try to prey on that by soliciting funds for a false charitable organization. But such is the world we live in.

The new law was first introduced in the Mississippi Legislature by state Sen. Sally Doty, was signed by Gov. Phil Bryant and will go into effect on July 1. It will require organizations paying telephone solicitors to comply with the Telephone Solicitation Act. They will be required to register with the Public Service Commissioner’s office and purchase the state’s “no call” list.

Telemarketers and other individuals who violate the law will be fined $10,000 for each offense committed. Presley emphasized that legitimate charities that don’t hire outside firms to call donors will still be exempt from the law.

We believe the change is a good one that will shield Mississippians from calls that are annoying at best and malicious at worst. We also think that by making it more difficult for dubious charities to operate, the changes will screen out scammers, thus increasing the credibility of legitimate, respectable charities working hard to serve fellow Mississippians and make our state a better place to live. We salute the officials who worked to improve the law.

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Jackson, Miss. (Clarion Ledger) – Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves continues to raise more campaign cash than his rivals in the gubernatorial race, raking in about $546,000 in May.

The fundraising brings the total raised across Reeves’ several campaign accounts to $6.3 million, according to reports filed with the state Monday.

That’s roughly $5 million more than his Democratic rival, Attorney General Jim Hood, who reports about $1.2 million to spend, though likely faces a less competitive August primary race than Reeves. Hood raised about $210,000 in May, and spent about $153,000, reports show.

Another prominent Republican candidate, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr., raised more than $175,000 in May, and has $541,000 in his campaign coffers ahead of his Aug. 6 contest with Reeves and Republican state Rep. Robert Foster.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann continues to raise big money — $259,000 in May — in his bid for lieutenant governor. That brings him to about $2.9 million in his war chest, and without a well-known primary opponent, he won’t need to spend much of it until later in the year.

Here are fundraising details from other statewide candidates whose reports were posted Monday:

Governor

Robert Foster. The Republican state representative from DeSoto County raised $35,000 last month, and spent slightly more than that. He reports having more than $16,000 to spend.

Velesha Williams. The Democrat from Jackson reported bringing in $2,900 in May, almost all of it a loan from herself. She’s reported bringing in $21,000 on the year to her campaign account.

Robert Shuler Smith. The Democratic Hinds County District Attorney reported raising $3,400 in May, most of it from two individual donations. He spent about $2,000 on social media, and has about $1,700 in cash to spend.

Lieutenant governor

Jay Hughes. The Democratic state representative from Oxford bought in about $12,000 in the past month. He did not report injecting any of his own money into his account during the period, as he has several times previously. Hughes spent about $81,000, including significant expenditures on consulting and radio ads. He now has $93,000 in his campaign accounts.

Attorney General

Andy Taggart. The Republican brought in about $52,000 this period. He spent about $171,000, most of it on advertising, and has about $104,000 in cash on hand ahead of a heated August Republican primary.

Lynn Fitch. The Republican state treasurer brought in $52,000 in May, and spent roughly the same amount. She has more than $400,000 to spend after fundraising going back several years.

Mark Baker. Republican Baker brought in about $27,000 in May, and spent about $18,000. He still has about $377,000 in cash to spend ahead of a competitive primary, after prior fundraising.

Jennifer Riley Collins. The Democrat and executive director of the Mississippi ACLU reported raising about $14,600 in May, and spending slightly more than that. She has about $9,600 leftover in her campaign coffers.

Secretary of State

Johnny DuPree. The Democrat and former longtime mayor of Hattiesburg brought in $4,400 last month, and a total of about $24,000 since the start of the year. But he’s been spending at a faster clip: His report says he spent nearly $2,500 more last month than he had in his campaign account.

Sam Britton. The Republican Public Service commissioner for the southern district reported bringing in about $57,000 last month — but about $50,000 of that was a loan from himself. He spent $173,000 last month, and now reports having about $279,000 in cash leftover to spend.

Michael Watson. The Republican state senator raised $36,000 in May, spent about $75,000, and has more than $450,000 in cash to spend after prior fundraising.

Treasurer

Buck Clarke. The Republican Senate Appropriations Committee chairman raised about $34,000 last month, and $100,000 so far this year. He now has more than $225,000 in cash on hand after prior fundraising hauls and spending only $12,000 last month.

David McRae. The Republican brought in $5,800 last month, and spent about $47,000. He still has $322,000 in his campaign account after loaning himself $500,000 earlier this year.

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Jackson, Miss. (WCBI) – The Mississippi Public Service Commission (PSC) and Secretary of State’s Office announced changes Monday to the Telephone Solicitation Act affecting registration requirements of charities. Currently, charitable organizations operating in Mississippi are required to register with the Secretary of State’s Office, but many are exempt from solicitation requirements under state law and may solicit via phone call or text message.

A recent change in the law, which takes effect July 1st, means these calls and messages may be covered under the provisions of the Telephone Solicitation Act.

One of these changes focuses on paid telephone solicitation by charities. Organizations using volunteers to fundraise are currently exempt from the law. Beginning July 1st, organizations paying telephone solicitors will be covered by the Telephone Solicitation Act and be subject to penalties if they fail to comply. Failure to register and/or calling consumers on the No Call List could result in the Public Service Commission issuing fines of up to $10,000 per violation.

The amendment is aimed at protecting consumers from scam callers soliciting Mississippians, through robo-calling or other means, and claiming they represent a legitimate organization.

The PSC and Secretary of State’s Office have notified charitable organizations across the state of the change and look forward to working with them if they have any questions about their registration status.

“This change in the law will protect consumers,” said Public Service Commission Chairman Brandon Presley. “There are folks out there who call or text and say they are with a charity and solicit donations, but they aren’t and they’re lining their own pockets. This change is one way we can keep scam artists from stealing money from our citizens. It’s affecting everyone, but hitting our elderly on fixed incomes especially hard. That’s a shame and a disgrace. We must do everything we can to protect the public from those who wish to do them harm.”

“Mississippi is an incredibly gracious and charitable state,” Southern District Commissioner Sam Britton said. “However, there are bad actors out there posing as legitimate organizations that intend on taking advantage of people willing to give. We look forward to working with the Secretary of State’s Office to continue to combat this problem to further protect Mississippians from scam artists and to hold these criminals accountable.”

“Our number one priority in our Charities Division is to ensure donated funds are received by those who need them the most, not scammers,” Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said. “This important partnership with the PSC is another stick we can use to carry out this important mission, and we are grateful to the PSC for taking the lead on it.”

The PSC and Secretary of State’s Office encourage anyone motivated to donate to a charitable organization to research the organization prior to giving to ensure that they are legitimate and avoid ever giving out private information, particularly a credit card number over the phone.

For more information about the PSC, visit www.psc.ms.gov. For more information about the Secretary of State’s Office’s Charities Division, including the agency’s most recent Report on Charitable Giving, visit www.sos.ms.gov/charities.

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Diamondhead, Miss. (Diamondhead News Online) – Devastating flooding in the South Delta has left many in Mississippi wondering: “How can I help?” The Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office’s website can serve as a valuable resource for information about some disaster relief charities before you donate.

“As Mississippians, when we hear our neighbors are struggling, our first inclination is to reach out and help,” Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said. “As the Agency overseeing charities, we can help ensure funds donated by generous Mississippians to charities within our purview reach those who need them the most.”

Charities soliciting funds in Mississippi, with some exceptions, must be registered with the Secretary of State’s Office (http://charities.sos.ms.gov/online/portal/ch/page/charities-search/Portal.aspx). Out-of-state charities which do not target Mississippi donors may not be required to register in Mississippi.

Each year, the Agency publishes a Report on Charitable Organizations in Mississippi. The report outlines the financial information of charities registered in the State, including the percentage of charitable funds actually spent by a charity for its charitable purpose. The Council of Better Business Bureaus recommends at least 65 percent of a charitable organization’s total expenses be spent on program activities directly related to the organization’s purpose.

Religious institutions and organizations which are instrumentalities of government, such as the American Red Cross, are not required to register with the Secretary of State’s Office.

For more information, call the Charities Division at (601) 359-1599 or www.sos.ms.gov/charities/.

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Jackson, Miss. (Y’all Politics) – The Mississippi Manufacturers Association (MMA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to endorse Delbert Hosemann in his campaign for election to the office of lieutenant governor. MMA made the announcement Wednesday, May 29, at their board meeting at The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear, AL.

MMA President and CEO Jay C. Moon said, “The MMA Board of Directors have chosen to support Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann in his campaign for election. Secretary of State Hosemann’s views on growing a skilled, educated workforce and his support of business issues match those of the MMA. We believe he will represent Mississippi well.”

As Secretary of State, Hosemann has dedicated his time to ensure that Mississippi is business-friendly and attractive for economic development. Hosemann faces opposition in the August 6, primary election. The MMA encourages its members to support his campaign for election.

MISSISSIPPI MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

For more than 65 years, the Mississippi Manufacturers Association has represented the interests of Mississippi’s manufacturers at both the state and national levels. As the Voice of Industry, MMA represents manufacturers in the Mississippi Legislature and U.S. Congress. MMA promotes a strong manufacturing environment within Mississippi, and is a central source of information and assistance in industrial management.

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Jackson, Miss. (WAPT) – A Jackson pastor is taking action to clean up the capital city.

Bishop Ronnie Crudup and New Horizon Ministries are reviving hundreds of abandoned properties and transforming neighborhoods.

“This is another one of those great historic neighborhoods, this is Alta Woods,” Crudup said.

It’s the latest project about to take shape. The four pieces of property are next door to one another in south Jackson.

“We just acquired this one behinds us, even though it looks like somebody’s still living here. Literally, we got that and then these two we picked up as well,” Crudup said.

The plan is to start construction soon on all four pieces of property at the same time, sell the homes and get the once-abandoned houses back on the tax rolls.

“And you’ll see, it will change the neighborhood,” Crudup said.

A formerly abandoned home on Sykes Road was recently renovated by Crudup and is now ready for a family.

“It was literally almost falling down,” Crudup said.

Next-door neighbor Keith Godson said the renovation increased the value of the neighborhood and his home.

“I appreciate them doing it,” Godson said. “It helped me out a lot, even though it’s not directly, but they helped the whole neighborhood.”

Crudup and New Horizon Ministries have bought about 250 tax-forfeited properties from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office.

“It shouldn’t be New Horizon Ministries, it should be New Horizon Mission, because he’s on a mission,” Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said.

“For us, it takes a burden off of the state,” said Tyrone Hickman, with the Secretary of State’s Office Public Lands Division. “It’s not a piece of property that we’re getting a call about saying, ‘It’s overgrown. There’s a tree that fell on the house,’ and things of that nature.”

For Crudup and his church family, cleaning up Jackson is a calling.

“We believe that’s the kind of thing Jesus called us to do,” Crudup said.

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Vicksburg, Miss. (Vicksburg Post) – A total of 360 parcels of tax forfeited land in Vicksburg valued at more than $758,000 is up for sale by the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office.

Tax forfeited properties are land initially up for sale at county tax sales and never sold or reclaimed by the original owner. After the property lies unclaimed for three years, it is stricken from the tax rolls and turned over to the state, where it goes into the Secretary of State’s public lands inventory.

“We’re doing this all over the state. We have sold over 2,000 parcels in the last year at auction around the state of Mississippi and it’s generated over $1 million back for school districts and cities,” Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said.

The sale is the first for the area since 2015.

Most of the available parcels for this sale are concentrated along Ford Road, Grammar Street, Locust Street, Main Street, Marcus Street, Martin Luther King Boulevard, Pearl Street, Sky Farm Road, and Williams Street.

“We’re returning to Vicksburg in conjunction with Mayor Flaggs efforts,” Hosemann said. “He was the first one to get the (Mississippi) Home Corp. to give him blight relief money to take down blighted properties. “Mayor Flaggs set the standard for the state on that, and I want to support those efforts by putting these 360 properties up. Some of those will be blighted. I hope that they will be purchased and torn down or rehabilitated to make my hometown a better place to live.

“I applaud Mayor Flaggs’ efforts on this and I want to work with him,” he said.

Flaggs said people have contacted him asking when the Secretary of State will have another auction in the area.

“We want to commend Secretary of State Hosemann and his staff for bringing it,” he said.

Bids for the property may be submitted through the Secretary of State’s online auction portal until 11:59 p.m. June 12. The bidder must register online to place a bid, and the property details such as parcel location on an auction map.

Other information, such as auction dates, bid notices, and market values of property are also available online.

Successful bidders will be notified by e-mail as soon as possible once bids are placed, and payment of the bid amount must be paid within 5 to 7 days of notification.

City attorney Nancy Thomas said the city’s website will have a link to the Secretary of State’s website.

Money generated from the sale will go to the city and the Warren County School District.

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