Lumberton Informer

While the loss of a loved one is never easy, even when anticipated, it is most certainly one of the hardest burdens to bear when they are taken from us too soon. Jayla was a beloved daughter, grand daughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend. She represented a beacon of hope for a better future and now that light has dimmed. The death of a child is so painful because there are so many reminders of what might have been. As other parents prepare to send their children to school, you are starting the arduous process of bidding an earthly farewell to a child you birthed and I cannot begin to imagine the heartach you're experiencing. It is said that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. It may not be this morning but someday, I hope the love that was spread by Jayla's mere presence will carry you through those difficult moments. We, the Community of Lumberton, offer our sincere condolences and deepest sympathy on your loss. May the outpouring of sympathy...

While I was on air this morning, I missed several texts but one caught my attention. After stopping at a produce stand to get some green tomatoes and raw honey, I called to see what was going on. It seems there's more allegations about inconsistencies in the water department. It seems that a young lady was in the process of selling her home. She moved in March and allegedly called city hall to have her water services disconnected. Well, four months later, the person buying the home went to the house and discovered a flooded house and mold everywhere. The homeowner was notified by the buyer that the house was flooded and the water was still on. The homeowner went to city hall to find out why the water services were never disconnected and she was allegedly informed that a form needed to be filled out in order to disconnect water services. I told her that was my first time hearing that. Based on my experience, I've been at city hall when a customer would call to have their wate...

I don't know how I missed the second email attachment. There were two (2) letters submitted to the Army Corp of Engineers from the City of Lumberton; one dated June 15, 2015 and the second letter dated June 29, 2015. In the letter dated June 15, 2015, there's a outline explaining how the City of Lumberton plans on obtaining the $641,375.00 needed for the non-federal share (25%) required to secure the grant. According to the letter the money will be obtained from the following sources: ● Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) CAP Loan, ● Mississippi Department of Health (MSDH) Revolving Loan Fund, ● South Mississippi Planning & Development District, ● MDA Small Municipalities and Limited Population Counties Grant Program, ● MDA Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Facilities Grant Program and ● Local funds as needed. The second letter, dated July 29, 2015 is probably the letter Mayor Ben Winston, Alderwoman at Large Cora Rogers, Alderman Jay McGraw...

Guess what I received today? The copy of the letter Mayor Ben Winston presented to the Army Corp of Engineers that claims the $641,375.00 needed to pay the matching portion of the water and sewer grant is in the City of Lumberton's general fund. Is this general fund part of the budget you claimed you didn't know how much it contained for almost a year? Or is this a secret general fund account? Board meeting after board meeting after board meeting you, Ben Winston, said we didn't have any money and that's why we can't have the legally required number of police officers on duty. We don't have enough , oney in the budget to have a full time court clerk. We don't have enough money in the budget to pay for repairs or replacement of the police cars. But somehow, in a letter to the Army Corp of Engineers dated June 29, 2015, you make the claim that there's $641,375.00 in the general fund account. So Ben, if you have any capacity for telling the truth, which l...

This past weekend, I met this engaging young couple that were out campaigning for Martin Hankins. They were going foor to door and I happened to be home. We talked for a few minutes and they knew a lot about the candidate they were supporting. I know it's impossible for the candidates to personally greet every voter in the County but if you have people working the campaign trail, you may want to take a cue from Hankins and make sure your volunteers are friendly and knowledgeable; they represented him well. In case you didn't know, Martin Hankins is looking to become the next Lamar County Circuit Clerk. Hankins is currently serving as Alderman at Large for the City of Purvis, Mississippi. Hankins primary goal is to "Insure the integrity of the voter registration and election process of Lamar County are upheld." To hear more about why Martin Hankins is seeking the position of Lamar County Circuit Clerk, visit his Facebook page, Martin Hankins for Lamar County Circui...

There's a regular scheduled meeting one week from today. Everything on today's agenda could have waited until next week; unless they were trying to sneak this one under the radar. On a positive note, there were more people at this meeting than the regular monthly meeting. The downside was they were there to support LeAnne Igo and her claim that Lumberton breached their contract with the Gold Coast Skydivers. I'll talk more about that later. The first agenda item was to allow Loius Simoneaux, Jr. (another Louisiana retiree that managed to wash up on the shores of Lumberton) to serve as Emergency Manager for the City of Lumberton at no charge. Simoneaux presented his resume to the board and stressed his desire to use his "talents" to help Lumberton with their LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee). While Simoneaux was speaking, I heard the same speech given by Johnny Buckley, the code inspector. Simoneaux said he was retired, his income was set and he just want...

The blog and the blogger so many love to hate will be hitting the radio circuit. For quite some time, the Lumberton Informer was called "the blog no one reads" but that was something said mostly by elected officials and department heads. Since I have access to the metrics, I knew that wasn't true. The fact that printouts of my blog posts are routinely discussed during executive session, a violation of the Mississippi Open Meetings Act, also prove that statement is false. The mere fact that a department head, who was probably lurking, liked a post by the Lumberton Informer on Facebook also disproves the notion that no one reads the blog. The fact that I'm being sued because of the opinions I share with my readers is more evidence that the blog is being read and some are actually bothered. The other week, when I posted photos of a loaner car from the Lamar County Sheriff's Department, Mayor Ben Winston was allegedly upset that I posted the photos. In Winston's...

Amy Lott is one of the candidates seeking the office of Lamar County Circuit Clerk. Lott attended the political rally in Lumberton but I didn't get the opportunity to interact with her. I'm not clear about her platform but you can go to Super Talk 97 to hear her speech. I visited the Amy Lott for Lamar County Circuit Clerk Facebook page but it's mostly pictures. I know campaigning can be hectic but I cannot stress enough the importance of updating your social media site; especially if it's purpose is to promote your platform. In the "About" section of the Amy Lott for Lamar County Circuit Clerk Facebook page, it was stated that Amy is "Seeking to serve as Circuit Clerk while sustaining the quality of Lamar County through integrity, honesty and experience. "

Hoyt Tyner is one of the many candidates seeking the position of Lamar County Circuit Clerk. Tyner's campaign tagline is Honesty ● Integrity ● Trust. On a campaign flyer, Tyner stated that the voters of Lamar County deserve honest, trustworthy leadership in the Circuit Clerk's office. In case you didn't know, some of the duties of the Circuit Clerk are: to serve as Registrar of the County and Circuit County Courts, to receive and file all lawsuits, indictments, motions in civil and criminal cases, to maintain docket books, issue jury summons, issue marriage licenses, secure private documents, to serve as a notary and to register citizens to vote. Tyner said "In addition to hard work ethics, I have REAL goals for the office, mostly as it pertains to digitizing the records and transactions of the office, and making public records available to the public online. I'm very passionate about voter registration drives. I want citizens of all ages to participate in the e...

In case you didn't know and all those clusters of political signs didn't give you a clue, this is an election year for Mississippi. Usually, there's low voter turn out for state elections but I think it's important to vote in every election; not just the Presidential election. The primaries are August 4, 2015 and it only take a few minutes to make sure your voice is heard. When I saw the list of candidates, I knew early on that I would be taking part in the Republican primaries. First, I don't like it when a person is elected and I didn't have any input. Most of the candidates running for office are Republican and I want to have a say in who serves. Now I have never been one to vote along party lines; I vote for tbe person not the party. Well, there are those that will say their vote don't count and they're right. If you don't vote, your vote does not count. Voting is important and the residents of Lumberton are seeing the direct results of not v...

You may not know it but demanding truth, honesty and transparency in govermnent can be exhausting; especially when you're attacked for speaking the truth. On day, while on Instagram, I saw a post with tne following quote: "Don't waste time trying to prove your purpose to those who can't appreciate it, but spend time with those who need it to find theirs." I looked at the quote for an extended period of time because it gave me life (hope). I found the post through a search on Instagram and I immediately started following @THEOSCHAFFER before I realized that he was a motivational speaker, author and life coach. But the best part is he's from Lumberton. I continued to read quotes from his page and Theo Schaffer went on to say: "One thing I've learned is that when you're called to do something truly unique you will be scrutinized because of others inability to comprehend or equate to it. Instead of succumbing to the temptation to prove to people y...

This has been one heck of a week. Everyone is wondering how the City of Lumberton can pay the $625,000 needed for the matching funds portion of the $2.5 million dollar Army Corp of Engineers grant. Well, the explanation provided by Mayor Ben Winston has changed drastically over the past week. Allegedly, Winston, McGraw, C. Rogers and witness Kathleen Bogle went to Vicksburg, MS to sign paperwork for the grant but the story unravels after that point. In an interview with WDAM, it was said that the Army Corp of Engineers wouldn't sign the contract if Lumberton didn't present a plan showing they had the money. Again, the stories change frequently whenever the matching funds are discussed. One attempt to sell the Brooklyn Bridge to the news station and citizens of Lumberton included a story about a CAP loan. At the meeting with the Lamar County Board of Supervisors, Winston said the matching funds were not secured, the next day Winston reported at the regular scheduled boar...

Over the next three days, there will be three Meet the Candidates events in Lamar County; giving Lamar County voters the opportunity to hear from candidates running for state and local offices. ★ On Thursday, July 16, 2015, Super Talk WFMM 97.3 will host a Lamar County Old-Fashioned Meet, Greet and Speak at the Lake Serene Clubhouse. Doors open at 6pm with speeches beginning at 7pm Each candidate will have a booth and give a five minute speech. If you can't attend, you can hear the speeches broadcast on 97.3. ★ On Friday, July 17, 2015, the Lamar County Board of Supervisors will sponsor a Meet and Greet at the Oak Grove Senior and Veterans Center. The event is set for 11am to 1 pm. Thirty-two candidates are expected to attend, including those running for supervisor, justice court judge, constable and county attorney. Lunch can be purchased for $4. ★ On Saturday, July 18, 2015, the Lumberton Economic Development Council is hosting a political rally from 10am to 3 pm at W...

On Tuesday, July 14, 2015, there was a special called meeting. I didn't attend the meeting because it was held at 1:00 pm. According to WDAM, tne meeting was held to open bids for the $450,000 sewer grant; the same grant Winston said would be used to pay part of the matching funds needed for the $2.5 million dollar Army Corp of Engineers grant. Well, at this meeting, Mayor Ben Winston finally revealed that the $450,000 sewer improvement grant cannot be used to pay the matching funds for another grant. I'm not an elected official but common sense told me that was a possibility when Winston announced it but so many people are clinging on to his campaign promises with hopes he will be able to pull this rabbit out of his hat. According to Winston and based on a conversation only be heard, Tracey Giles, bureau manager of the MDA (Mississippi Development Authority) advised against using the grant to pay the matching funds of another grant. Another unlikely statement attributed to G...

Ben, you got some 'splaining to do. Cue the Final Jeopardy music.

Over the weekend, there was an induction ceremony (not sure if that's the proper name) for the Lumberton Masonic Lodge 696 at the Lumberton Family Life Center. Normally, I would have attended the event but I was out of town for the Parker Family Reunion. Thanks to technology, I was able to get some information about the ceremony. Based on the comments, it seems that this group was newly reorganized and several new members were inducted. Unfortunately, I don't know all their names. As a part of the ceremony, the members of the Lumberton Masonic Lodge 696 gave a $500 donation to Mrs. Vivian Lundy to help with the daily expenses of The Kingdom Kids Foundation. In Lumberton, political issues and a crumbling infrastructure are usually the main topics of discussion but there are some caring people doing wonderful things in Lumberton; we just have to look a little harder to find them. Kudos to tne Lumberton Masonic Lodge 696!

There's an old saying, a hit dog will holla. Apparently, Paul Ockmond was hit hard because I heard him yelping all the way in Derby. Last night I was meeting new family members and awaiting the start of the Parker Family Musical when I noticed Paul Ockmond had posted a response under the heading of the Lies vs. Truth blog post on Facebook. According to Paul, a survey of his circle of friends determined that I'm contemptible because I like boys and now that gay marriage is legal I can't get anyone to marry me. Wait there's more, Paul Ockmond is apparently an attention heaux and is in need of his 15 minutes in the spotlight. Also according to Paul Ockmond, I'm upset because I can't win an election and because the City of Lumberton won't hire me. Now this is coming from a man of the cloth; a local bible toting, scripture quoting, prison ministry man of god (the g was purposely not capitalized because based on the fruit of his lips we're not serving the s...

What a week, what a week. At this point, what is a lie and what is the truth? For months, Mayor Ben Winston, boasted about a $2.5 million dollar Army Corp of Engineers grant. Just this past Tuesday, Mayor Ben Winston announced that he, Alderman Jay McGraw, Alderwoman Cora Rogers and Mrs. Kathleen Bogle went to Vicksburg, MS to sign some sort of paperwork. This Tuedsay, Winston also announced that the City of Lumberton was approved for a $600,000 CAP loan. Well, after watching WDAM, it was revealed that most of the information Mayor Winston was proudly announcing at the board meeting was untrue. Winston's web of deceit began to unravel on Sunday, July 5, 2015 when his friend/ business partner Paul Ockmond accused me of telling half truths. Ockmond said that I wouldn't report the fact that Winston and McGraw secured $600,000 for the matching grant funds. On Monday, July 6, 2015 Ben Winston went to a meeting of the Lamar County Board of Supervisors asking if they could mak...

When Paul Ockmond called threatened me Sunday, I didn't know where it was coming from. He was so upset that he wanted to set down his lunch box religion and turn back the hands of time. Until today, I didn't know why he was so angry about the truth. Well, just like in the Pelican Brief, I stumbled upon the truth. This post will be based on things allegedly said. I have requested a copy of the tape from the news station that was recording the board meeting. Oh, I'm not talking about Lumberton's board meeting, I'm talking about the Lamar County Board of Supervisors board meeting. Here we go. Last night, Ben Winston was fluttering around like a proud peacock because he and Jay McGraw found a way to get a $600,000 CAP loan. According to Winston, the grant was going to be used to address the infrastructure issues in Lumberton and to provide water and sewer services to the annexed areas along Lower Airport Road. Well, Winston was singing another song at the Lamar Cou...

The meeting itself was rather short, however, the board stayed in executive session for almost an hour allegedly discussing personnel issues or something. Let's be clear, Lumberton has roughly 10 employees, it don't taae an hour to accept a letter of resignation from Officer Carlus Paige or an hour to hire his replacement, Tony McSwain, but they said it was personnel issues and we belive them (insert sarcasm here). Pay close attention to the amount of money spent this month. According to my calculations, they approved $198,247.25 in payments at last night's meeting. That's a lot of money for a city that claims they can't afford police officers or a full time court clerk. I guess they support what they value. The first agenda item was to allow Ben Winston to sign the requisition form to pay Sample & Hicks $5,900 for construction contracts and to pay O'Neal-Bond $16,900 for final design for CDBG Project. There was an order to open a bank account for the Se...

The picture attached to this post shows how I've evolved as a blogger. At one time, I was fearful of how people would react, fearful of expressing my views publically and fearful of retailiation. Well, since I've started blogging my car has been egged/keyed, I was arrested for a parking ticket, I lost an election, I'm the subject of executive session conversations in a city that has denied me employment, accused of being a stalker (even with a trick knee) and now I'm forced to defend my first amendment rights in court. Despite the many obstacles, I feel that it's more important to provide a forum for truth despite the threats of liars. It amazes me that this board is so focused on keeping secrets from the public. Well, maybe it's not the public, it's just me. But, for some reason, I always find out what's going on. Last month, I learned from an alderman's wife that my blog was the topic of discussion during executive session and the conversation i...

Over 3,000 years ago, King Solomon wrote "Faithful are the wounds of a friend but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy." A true friend will tell you unpleasant truths. Apparently, Ben Winston's business partner, Paul Ockmond, is not a true friend. Now, he probably think he's a true friend but after his threat filled rant on the Lumberton Informer Facebook page, I wonder if he's even a true Christian. There's a saying, "you know a man by the company he keeps." The more Paul Ockmond speaks, the more he reveal about Ben Winston's character, or lack thereof. After the Sunday downpour, I checked my phone and there was an alert that a comment was posted on a post from last week. I clicked on the message and it was from Paul Ockmond. I responded to Paul, asking him if he wanted to clarify his statement because it was filled with contradictions. For instance, he referred to me as evil but then said I had God-given talents. As I pointed out to...