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Established 1848
Two Sections

“Fear No Man, and Render Justice to All Men”
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Two face charges
for embezzlement
By Tom Hill
BRANDON – Two former Blue
Cross Blue Shield employees who
allegedly generated fictitious claims
and then cashed the checks worth a
reported $229,943.63 were arrested
by the state Attorney General’s of-
fice last week and charged with in-
surance fraud. According to court
records, the checks were drawn on
the State of Mississippi Health In-
surance Plan account.
Sonja Mitchell, 34, of Jackson,
was charged with six counts of in-
surance fraud for six claims that to-
taled $206,855.12. Those allegedly
took place between December 2008
and March 2009.
Tiana Whitsett, 35, of Jackson,
was charged with three counts of
insurance fraud for three claims
that totaled $23,088.51. Those al-
legedly took place in August 2010
Mitchell and Whitsett were
booked into the Rankin County
Jail on Nov. 16. Both women made
their initial appearance before
East Metro Road
Rankin County • Brandon, MS Volume 163 • Number 18 Wednesday • November 24, 2010
SONJA MITCHELL
County Court Judge Kent McDan-
iel on the morning of Nov. 17 dur-
ing which they told him they had
resigned their positions with Blue
Cross Blue Shield.
Judge McDaniel told the women
that they were presumed to be in-
nocent of all charges against them.
He then went on to say that the
crimes they allegedly committed
amounted to direct theft from the
pocket book of every taxpayer in
Mississippi and every state em-
TIANA WHITSETT
ployee who is on the state insur-
ance program. He said anyone
who could do something like that
had a complete lack of concern for
the law, their employer and the tax-
payers.
“This is the most unacceptable
conduct I have ever seen,” he said.
“It evinces a cold heart that I could
not imagine.”
At the hearing, Judge McDaniel
set Mitchell’s bond at $300,000 and
Whitsett’s bond at $60,000. That
afternoon, Mitchell posted a cash
bond and was released and Whit-
sett posted a surety bond and was
released.
USM Mass Communications
and Journalism Department
inducts Dr. Frank Buckley into
Hall of Fame
By Marcus Bowers
Dr. Frank W. Buckley, long time
resident of Brandon now deceased,
was inducted into the Univer-
sity of Southern Mississippi Mass
Communications and Journalism
Department Hall of Fame.
The presenter for Dr. Buckley
was a former student of Dr. Buck-
ley’s Charlåes Kershner. Kershner
was a 2007 Hall of Fame inductee
at the USM Mass Communication
and Journalism.
The inscription on the plaque
which will hang on the walls at the
School of Mass Communication
and Journalism about Dr. Buckley
reads: Dr. Frank Buckley served
as head of the journalism depart-
ment at the University of Southern DR. FRANK W. BUCKLEY
Mississippi form 1954 to 1963 and who had attempted to gain ad-
left a lasting impression on a gen- mission to the segregated univer-
eration of students who went on sity. Remarkably well educated,
to remarkable journalistic careers. he earned a bachelor’s degree
As department chair, he acquired a from Louisiana College, a law de-
press for the Student Printz, mak- gree from Vanderbilt University, a
ing the university the first in the master’s degree from Florida State
country to have its own printing and a PhD. from Southern Illinois.
operation and allowing students Early in his career, he worked as a
the full experience of newspaper reporter, photographer and editor
production. He was removed from at serveral newspapers until World

$14M road section begins According to court documents,

By Charles Bailey
FLOWOOD- With a bid award-
ed and a contractor in place, offi-
cials are anxious to see construction
RANKIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPT. NEEDS YOUR HELP –The Rankin
County Sheriff’s Dept. is requesting information on the pictured subject. If you
can identify the subject who drives a late model Black Ford Explorer, please
call the RCSD at 601-825-1480. He’s wanted for vehicle burglary and using
stolen Credit/Debit cards.
begin on the northern leg of a vital
new Rankin County road.
The East Metropolitan Road,
See East Metro, page 5
the suspects allegedly generated
fraudulent claims on the State of
his position by the university ad-
ministration after fighting unsuc-
cessfully to prevent the confisca-
War II, when he became an ensign
in the Navy. In the late 1960s,
he founded Buckley Newspa-
Mississippi Health Insurance Plan tion of the Student Printz when pers which still publishes several
account for alleged hospital visits the newspaper published a photo weekly newspapers in south Mis-
to Memorial Hospital in Gulfport. of an African-American student See Dr. Buckley, page 3
The documents do not specify to
whom the checks were made out or
who cashed them.
The fraud came to light when
an individual received a State of
Mississippi Health Insurance Plan
check and returned it to Blue Cross
Blue Shield because she had not re-
ceived any medical treatment for
which she should have received
a check from her health insurance
plan. Blue Cross Blue Shield staff
then conducted an internal audit.
When BCBS contacted Memorial BRANDON FLORENCE
Hospital, hospital staff there re-
ported that there were no hospital
Friday, Dec. 3 Saturday, Dec. 4
records for the BCBS group mem- 7:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.
bers who were the recipients of the PEARL PUCKETT
fraudulent insurance checks. Saturday, Dec. 4 Saturday, Dec. 4
Attorney General Office spokes-
man Jan Schaefer said the AG’s of- 9:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m.
fice could neither confirm nor deny RICHLAND PELAHATCHIE
anything about any investigation. Saturday, Dec. 11 Saturday, Dec. 4
A representative with BCBS did
4:30 p.m. 10:00 a.m.
not respond to requests for infor-
mation on the matter.

Week of Activities

Brandon gearing up for Winter Wonderland

By Linda Horton
BRANDON – Twas the month
before Christmas, when all through
the town, lots of Brandon folks
were stirring to get “Winter Won-
derland” week kicked off with the
greatest of ease.
“Winter Wonderland” is a week
of holiday activities planned by the
City of Brandon beginning Tuesday,
Nov. 30, with the official lighting of
the Christmas tree and culminating
Sunday, Dec. 5, with the Brandon
Garden Club’s “Deck the Hall.”
Tuesday, Nov. 30 - Mayor Tim
Coulter will light the Christmas
tree in downtown Brandon, at 6:30
p.m. Immediately following, there
will be Carols on the Square on
the front steps of the Justice Court
Building adjacent to the old court-
house on Highway 80.
This is the first year for Carols on
the Square and the official lighting
of the Brandon Christmas tree. The
Bells of Faith hand bell choir from
Mustard Seed will perform. Debbie
Burnham accompanied by Jennifer
Clark and Skylar Harden directs the
hand bell choir. The Brandon High
School Singers directed by Marilyn
Julian will also perform.
Thursday, Dec. 2 - Santa will be
at the Brandon Library reading sto-
ries to the children at 6 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 3 - There will be
dancing to Christmas music for se-
nior adults at the Senior Center at
1 p.m.
“The highlight of the season,
an Old Fashion Christmas, parade
begins at 7 p.m.,” Taya Dobbs, as-
sistant to the mayor, said. “The pa-
rade will follow the same route it
has used in the past.”
The parade starts at the corner
of S. College and Jasper St. It goes
north on College St. and turns east
on to Highway 80. The parade stays
on Highway 80 and turns on to Lou-
is Wilson Dr. Then, at Louis Wilson
Dr., the parade heads south back to
Jasper St. and then west ending at
Jasper and College Sts.
Saturday, Dec. 4 – The day kicks
off with two chances for Breakfast
With Santa in the Senior Center at
City Hall on Highway 80. The first
is at 8 a.m. and the second is at 10
a.m.
Dobbs said breakfast consists of
pancakes and sausage. Members of
the Mayor’s Youth Council will be
on hand to help serve.
“Santa and Mrs. Santa Clause
will be available for pictures,”
Dobbs said. “Parents need to re-
member to bring their cameras to
the event.”
Tickets for Breakfast With Santa
are $5 each. Children four and un-
der are free. Tickets are available at
City Hall. Members of the Mayor’s
Youth Council will travel to Rouse GEARING UP FOR WINTER WON- the week of Nov. 30- Dec. 5. Pictured
Elementary School, Brandon Ele- DERLAND WEEK – The City of are (l-r): Erma Jones, Laura Mayo,
mentary School and to Stonebridge Brandon is getting ready to usher in Angela Jones, Amanda Tolstad, An-
Elementary School, Wednesday, the Christmas season with Winter gela Bean, Beth Johnson, Mayor Tim
Wonderland week. Activities for the Coulter, and Tahya Dobbs.
See Winter Wonderland, page 5 community are planned throughout