The Mississippi secretary of state’s office urges the business community, especially LLCs, to be cautious of a misleading mailer sent by a private entity called C.F.S.

In the mailer, the company offers to prepare 2021 annual reports for a $75 fee. The mailer may appear to be official government correspondence, but the fine print makes it clear it is not. All business owners should be aware this correspondence is not authorized by the Mississippi secretary of state’s office.

A sample of the mailer is shown below.

(click image to enlarge)

(Click image to enlarge)

As a reminder, domestic LLC owners can file annual reports on the secretary of state’s website at no cost. Annual reports are due by April 15 of each year, and our office sends numerous reminders, via electronic mail and traditional mail, reminding Mississippi LLCs of upcoming filing deadlines and responsibilities.

Businesses may report deceptive or misleading solicitations to our office or the Mississippi attorney general’s office. The attorney general’s Consumer Protection Hotline is 1-800-281-4418.

For more information, please contact the secretary of state’s Business Services Division at [email protected] or 601-359-1633.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves provided an update on COVID-19 including an update on the health of his family.

Reeves’ youngest daughter tested positive for the virus earlier this week and his two other daughters have possibly been exposed to the virus. The family is self-isolating at home.

“We are seeing more and more challenges within our health care system,” Reeves said, citing statistics of rapidly increasing hospitalizations throughout the state. Wednesday, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said that no intensive care beds were available in Jackson for any patients, not just COVID-19 patients.

At this time, 15 Mississippi counties are under mask mandates and other extended restrictions to slow the spread of the virus. Reeves said he had no intentions of following any national mandates from the White House on shut downs should such mandates come from the new administration.

The chartered plane transporting the iconic country rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd crashed 43 years ago in rural Mississippi after running out of fuel on its way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Six of the 26 people aboard the plane died including lead vocalist and founding member Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist and vocalist Steve Gaines, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines (Steve’s older sister), assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter McCreary and co-pilot William Gray.

For years, Frynds of Lynyrd Skynyrd have worked to erect a monument near the crash site and ensure fans can find it. Last year, a beautiful monument was unveiled at Mississippi Highway 568 and Easley Road in Pike County telling the story of the band and the crash. This year, the Frynds are celebrating Mississippi’s erecting signage on Interstate 55 south of Magnolia and near the monument itself so that fans can easily find the monument.

With new signage, fans will easily find the Lynyrd Skynyrd monument. (photo courtesy LSM)

A dedication of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument tourism signs is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. at the monument on Highway 568 and Easley Road. Organizers expect several state dignitaries to speak at the event and will offer refreshments.

The road to getting the monument and signage completed hasn’t been easy. From fundraising to navigating the rules governing monuments and signs, the Frynds had to jump through numerous hoops to accomplish their goal.

Things began looking up when rescuer Dwain Easley and his family donated the land for the monument. With private land and no local or state regulations to deal with, the project was back on the fast track. The group also partnered with the Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center Foundation to provide credibility and leadership to accelerate the cause.

Dave Pace, Kevin Laird and the Brookhaven Monument crew broke records, broke company rules, and called in every favor available to have the 14-foot wide by 8-foot tall monument placed by Oct. 20, 2019.

The Mississippi Legislature stepped up this year to have the Department of Transportation erect tourism signs on Interstate 55 at Exit 8 and on Highway 568 at Easley Road to direct visitors to the Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument.

In the year after dedicating the monument, guests have come from 39 states, five Canadian provinces and 18 countries. The Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument has become one of the area’s largest tourist attractions.

For more information, visit the Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument Facebook page and website or send a text message to 601-249-7033.