Lumberton Informer

I'm sure most of you are familar with the proverb: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Well, today, I was invited to be a part of the Hattiesburg 2014 Mardi Parade Committee. They are already in plans for next year's parade. When I received the email, I remembered a citizen of Lumberton that pitched the idea of having a Mardi Gras parade in Lumberton. I don't know if those plans have taken off, but I would like to take a break from regular posting and see if I could encourage Rachel Jefferson to pursue her plans. She might not be able to organize a parade for next year, but I was thinking she might want to have a Mardi Gras Ball. Maybe a semiformal event at the Lumberton Community Center. We could have a small processional with people throwing out beads, cups and other Mardi Gras prizes. I also thought there could be a small buffet style meal and people could pay an admission fee and the funds raised for the event could go to the Diane Bennett Memorial Fund. Also,...

I have been told that I'm not willing to listen but nothing could be farther from the truth. Just the other day, a friend posted something that stopped me dead in my tracks. He's a minister; not one of these fuddy duddy, fire and brimstone ministers. He's a keeping it real type of ministers and he has imparted some seeds of greatness into my life. I am planning on visiting his church when I go to New York this summer. At one time, I had an aversion to Mega Churches, but after enduring some of the things at these family run churches, I am becoming more and more open to the vision/purpose of a Mega Church. This post was not supposed to be about churches; this post was about something that made me stop and think. I mostly communicate with this pastor via twitter/Instagram. Just the other day, he started emailing me because our conversations were getting rather lengthy. What he said, gave me chills. He told me that "the truth can be told in kindness. It doesn't have ...

There has been a lot of talk about our embattled city clerk, Stephanie C. Mullings and the talk may or may not be true. But for the record, if she's guilty, the ones that permitted her to stay in her position for such an extended period of time are also guilty. Everything she did was with board approval. If the insurance was not paid, the board knew it was not paid. If the water bills spiked for no apparent reason, the board knew about the spikes and chose not to do anything about the inconsistencies. The fact that court clerk, Betty Speights has collected more than $27,000 in fines for the City of Lumberton in the short period of time is a testament to what could be done if the person in the office is actually doing their job. I'm not surprised she has filed suit against the aldermen; actually, it's expected. However, it's strange that a person can allegedly pay a third of her salary to retain an attorney. Frankly, I don't know many people that could plop down a...

In an effort to assist the victims of the Tornado that devastated parts of South Mississippi, the Lamar County Library System is taking part in the Tornado Disaster Relief Program and you can take a part in helping others in their time of need. From February 19, 2013-February 28, 2013 you can donate food and/or supplies and this will help eliminate your any fines you owe to the Lamar County Library System. You get the opportunity to help others and by getting your fines paid off, you get to regain the benefits of using internet/computers at the library, checking out movies, books, magazines, etc. So, it's a win win for everyone. The guideline for the program is as follows: $1 off per each non-perishable food item or small scale relief supplies (up to $20) $5 off for large scale relief supplies (up to $20) Listed below are some items that are needed: Heavy Duty work gloves, Large contractor trash bags, baby wipes/cleaning wipes, large bags of pet food, toilet paper/paper to...

Zumba any one? Did you know that Whitney Cameron instructed a Zumba class in the City of Lumberton? The class is held on Main Street, in the dance studio across from the Shell Gas Station. The classes are held every Tuesday and Thursday night at 6:00 p.m. The first two classes are free and the fees for the classes can be paid either monthly or per class. It's a great exercise program and it's a great way to kick off a healthy New Year. So, show one of our home town businesses some love and sign up for Zumba. It's a win win for everyone!

Last night, there were some concerned citizens that were trying to get in contact with me. I was receiving all sorts of text messages and inbox messages so I wanted to know what was going on. I called and found out there was a special called meeting and they were about to hire a new city clerk and a new municipal court judge. Unbeknownst to me, I met the new city clerk earlier that day at the nail salon. I remember her bc we were talking about how expensive it was to fly and I remembered her van because of the eye lashes. So, when I got to city hall last night, the meeting had already started and they were getting ready to take a vote on hiring the new city clerk. There was a unanimous vote to hire Merlene Wall as the new city clerk. I don't remember the salary but it was $27,000 (don't remember the exact amount). She is from Jefferson Parrish and she and Susan Guidry are very good friends. She has a ton of experience within the tire industry but none regarding municipalitie...

While the country was feeling the threat of the fiscal cliff, the City of Lumberton was taking a nose-dive into the abyss of debt. For the last three years, we have been asking for accountability at city hall and our cries have gone unheard. Over and over, we were told that our city was doing fine. But month after month, the fiscal burden was passed onto the citizens. Is it just me or did our water bills spike every time there was a deficit in the city's budget? I apologize, but I have no other way of explaining the unexplained spikes. Per capita, I think the City of Lumberton has the most expensive water in the State of Mississippi and we don't have a top notch water system. In case you forgot about the time we failed the water test and the city failed to notify the citizens that they were drinking water that was not deemed acceptable to drink. Again, the citizens were the last to know and the board could care less if the citizens knew about the need to boil their water...