Lumberton Informer

Let me make or break your end of the year celebration. I decided to post for several reasons. Today is the anniversary of the special call election that resulted in the Kent Crider becoming Mayor of Lumberton. I was trying to add the link of his campaign promises from Hattiesburg American but the link didn't work for some reason. Despite Crider's claim that he was the only person that could ensure the City of Lumberton secured the $2.5 million dollar Army Corp of Engineer Grant, here we are one year later and no work on sewer system but we're still getting monthly reports about the never ending leaks throughout the City of Lumberton. Oh wait....the project is now slated for January 2017 or close to election time along with the unicorn sightings of new businesses that's looking to come to a city that's losing its school. Yeah. Keep dangling that carrot for the goats that follow you. Hopefully, the elected officials of the City of Lumberton will go ...

The Future Leaders of Tomorrow strikes again. They're hosting a Mother's Appreciation Banquet featuring Charles "CC" Carter. The Future Leaders of Tomorrow are stepping it up and expressing their respect for that level of sisterhood that's been holding up our neighborhood. They know that if it wasn't for our mothers there would be no brothers and if it wasn't for our sisters there will be no misters. So, they're inviting ALL mothers to come to the Ben Barrett Community Center 770 E. Main Street Lumberton, MS 39455 Sunday, December 11, 2016 3:00 p.m. Come "Dressed to Impress" and enjoy the celebration of the power, beauty and essence of Womanhood.

Apples don't fall far from the tree. On Tuesday, when I arrived at city hall, there was a meeting in progress. As I rushed to go live, Danny "Daniel" Davis aka Triple D was raising more hell than a peg leg man on a tin roof because he realized he's finally disposable. Triple D has spent 30 years destroying the Public Works Department, making sure he never hire anyone that's capable of taking over the reigns of the Public Works Department. In other words, he stacked the deck to ensure he's always in control. When the board woke up and finally grew weary of the complaints about "certain" cemeteries not getting proper maintenance, reports of people taking home the city owned lawn mowers to cut their grass, water meters not getting read and Danny's perpetual cry that he's understaffed. I think we've had reports of water leaks for the past 10 years. At some point it seems like the leaks would be fixed. Sadly, there's little tru...

The Lumberton Panthers just finished a stellar season but failed to obtain their 5th State Championship title. Saturday, our neighbor, Poplarville Hornets, will make attempt to crown their historic season with their first State Championship Game. It has been reported that the 2016 Poplarville Hornets displayed accomplishments on the football field that have never been seen in the history of the program. I've heard a lot about the Poplarville Hornets, quarterback Antonio Barnes and their outstanding season; their combination of skill, tenacity, sportsmanship and great coaching staff resulted in an unforgettable season. Kudos to Coach Jay Beech and everyone that contributed to this season of excellence. Many of us have friends and family that resides in Poplarville and tomorrow we will either be at the game or cheer for the Hornets from our homes as they take their spot in the arena to claim the title of the Best 4A Football Team in the State of ...

The Lumberton Panthers are about to take the field and battle for the title of State 1A Champs. The entire City of Lumberton is proud of the team. Some of you are currently in Starksville, waiting for the gladiators (Lumberton Panthers) to enter the arena and claim another victory. If you were not able to attend the game, it will stream live on-line and WDAM will also broadcast the game. This week, I featured some of the players on the team but we all know there's no I in team. Collectively, the entire team, coaching staff, cheerleaders, band, parents and fans have propelled the Lumberton Panthers to the spot they hold today; positioned to claim another championship victory for the City of Lumberton. Here's a list of the Lumberton Panthers: J.Tribbett (QB), D.Edwards (RB, ILB), D. Coleman (RB/LB), R. Coleman (RB/DB), K. Fairley (RB/ILB), J. Galloway (RB/ILB), D.Bucker (WR/DB), J. Buckley (RB/CB), T. Toney (CB/FS/WR), C. Bowens (DB/WR), E. Joseph (WR/DB),...

On Friday, the Lumberton Panthers will travel to Starksville to battle Simmons for the State Championship trophy. The Lumberton Panthers are seeking their 5th State Championship. This is no small feat. It was brought to my attention the other day that this championship game will be one for the history books because Montaye Cooke will be the first female to play in a State Championship game. So we have a lot to cheer for. We hope our boys and girl will bring home another championship trophy. If you're planning on attending the game, today is the last day to purchase discounted tickets from Lumberton High School. Since the school receives a portion of the proceeds, purchase a ticket even if you're not attending the game. Also, if you ordered a t-shirt for the game, you can pick them up at the school as well. Today is the last day of school this week and there will be a grand pep rally at 1:30 pm for the Lumberton Panthers. Come out and sh...

I haven't blogged much about the Lumberton High School Football team this year but it seems that every time I pick up a newspaper I see the name Dre Coleman. Based on everything I've seen and heard, this young man is a stellar athlete on and off the field. I was looking at his stats after the game against Nanih Waiya, and Coleman is credited for rushing for over 300 yards and three touchdowns; it's clear that his athletic prowess helped Lumberton cinch their victory has earned them a spot in the state championship. Friday's game went into overtime and it was a nail bitter. I know this week is exiting for everyone in Lumberton; especially the players and coaching staff. At the beginning of the season, there were doubts about the Lumberton Panthers football season because they're a young team and they have a sophomore quarterback but they have proven that they're a force to be reckoned with and they want to bring back another state championship trop...

In addition to the Presidential Election, we are electing local and state representatives. The media has failed to focus on the fact that several candidates in District 106 have refused to attend debates but manage to attend Republican sponsored events. Interesting since each candidate is running as Independents; well...on paper. I've never witnessed such a blatant disregard of voters. You want to be our representative but you choose to interact with "certain" voting demographics. We're days away from the election and we don't know most of the people that are going to be on the ballot. Another indicator of the candidate's loyalty is their campaign finance reports; it clearly shows where their interests lie and I guess that's why at least two candidates have failed to submit their finance reports. They want you to cast your vote for them without knowing who sponsored their campaigns. Show me the money and I'll show you...

I didn't plan on speaking about Ben Winston or his candidacy for the vacated District 106 post. Prior to my conversation with Winston, I asked myself why is Ben running...again? But the answer is simple; people continue to vote for him. He's won most of the offices he sought and that's probably why he's running again. Also, he's aware that there's a good chance that there will be a runoff election because there's 5 candidates (no one will be able to get 50% plus one; if they do there's a dead cat on the line and in the electronic voting machines). After speaking with Winston, I'm still not clear of his platform but he genuinely think he can make a difference. When asked what qualiifies him to hold the position of District 106 Representative, Winston said the following "My God-given abilities, education, experience, business management and supervisory skills qualify me for this position. After serving as a former alderman, supervisor, mayor a...

In addition to the presidential election, we will select a representative for District 106. a majority of the candidates have actually avoided the voters. There are five individuals seeking this post but two (Daniel Wise and Ben Winston) are the only candidates that responded to my calls. I'm thankful for the opportunity and I think Wise will make a good representative for our district. I will have more about the other candidate but here's a brief introduction of Daniel Wise. Please check out his pages and I think you will agree that he's refreshing candidate and he's not for sale. I am honored and humbled to have this opportunity to run for House District 106 Representative. I am fortunate in my life to have the resources and time to make a legitimate run for this position unencumbered outside influence. No political action committee, special interest group, or large corporation fund my campaign. This does mean I am unable to do things like send our distri...

I attended the meeting tonight for several reasons: to see if they were going to address the letter of complaint I submitted almost a month ago, to see if Step (Tommy Dukes) and Fetch (Cora Rogers) received permission from their massah to address my blog post and to make those in attendance uncomfortable. I guess Tommy and Cora didn't receive their freedom papers because they looked as shackled as ever. I arrived a few minutes late at the city engineer was, as usual, informing the board about applying for more millions more in airport grants so they can continue to improve the airport and get $350/month in rent for an entire airport. The department heads gave their reports. Crider was excited to announce that the increase in water bill rates generated an additional $2,000 last month and could result in an additional $25,000/year. Before they could continue the celebration of fleecing the citizens of Lumberton, they turned around and voted to allow Merlene "T...

If former mayor, Ben Winston didn't teach us anything else; he taught us that anything can be done in Lumberton with three votes. He managed to wrangle three supporters for everything that blocked progress in Lumberton but our community has three representatives on the board and they can't seem to do anything to take control. In other words, we have a set of house ninjas in office waiting on the crumbs from massahas table. We have the majority because the mayor cannot vote, unless there's a tie. So ask yourself what Tommy Dukes and Cora Rogers won't support Quincy Rogers when he vote for or against certain items? For the most part, Quincy is going to do the right thing but the board will fight him every step of the way. Regardless of what the rest of the board members do, he should know that he has the backing of Cora and Tommy but he don't and they're always kicking against the prick. If Quincy was not an honorable, level he...

Eight days from now, we will head to the polls to cast our votes. A lot of focus has been placed on the Presidential Election but there's some state and local elections that are just as important. Noticeably, the local media has failed to focus on the fact that several area candidates have refused to debate or address the general public about their platforms. Although the candidates for District 106 are running as Independents, at least three candidates: Greg Holcomb, John Corely and Larry Davis, are focused on addressing citizens at Republican sponsored events. It's interesting that they attended the Republican event at Jack's Fish House but used every excuse in the book to avoid the debate on the campus of PRCC. It's clear they're interested in representing one demographic and that's probably why they're not interested in speaking to "other" voters because once they let their klan of supporters know they're really rank ...

Saturday, October 29, 2016, the Future Leaders of Tomorrow will host a Breast Cancer Awareness Walk at the 5th Avenue Park in Lumberton, Mississippi. The event will take place from 12 noon until 3:00 p.m. There will be plenty of activities for everyone. In addition to the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, there will be a canned food drive and a Fall Festival. So bring your kids, and bring something for the canned food drive and take part in this community event. There will be plenty of food, fun, music for everyone. Also, there will be survivors in attendance that will share their stories their testimony. Hope to see you there.

No that is not Danny Davis, the Lumberton Public Works Director, it's the Republican nominee for President. I'm still waiting to meet with the board regarding the letter of complaint submitted against Danny Davis and I haven't went to city hall to press charges on the Public Works employee that threatened me but I will go as soon as they get a grip on that disgusting, toxic element that's lurking around city hall, making everyone sick. No I'm not referencing Merlene Wall, I'm speaking of the mold; although I can see how you would make that correlation. I'm going to put the complaint on the back burner because there's plenty of time to deal with the local elected officials because their term ends June of 2017. At this moment, I need to focus on the Presidential and state elections. In two weeks, we will head to the polls to elect the next President of the United States. In case you haven't noticed, there's a trend among Republican candidates t...

There will be a Homecoming Festival held in Lumberton on Saturday, October 15, 2016 beginning at 8:00 a.m. and ending at 3:00 p.m. The event is being held to help raise money to renovate the Lumberton Museum. There will be plenty of fun, food and activities for everyone. The festival will be held on Main Street and the Lumberton Museum will be opened so people can see the work that has been completed and the work that is needed in order to re-open the museum. I also think the Lumberton Football Club will be selling plates in front of His Place Worship Center. As I stated, there's something for everyone; just show me to the booth with the funnel cakes. This morning, I spoke with Daniel Wise, Candidate for the Mississippi House District 106 and he said he was going to come to the Homecoming Festival so he could talk to some of the citizens of Lumberton. When I told him that there's probably 800 voters in Lumberton and he said "every vote and voter matters; I will make ever...

Webster's define dunce as a person who is slow at learning; a stupid person; fool, idiot, stupid person, simpleton, ignoramus, dullard but in the City of Lumberton that definition is personified by the Public Works Director, Danny Davis. For some reason, he think his privilege allows him to do or say anything but that's not going to be the case in this matter. Almost a week ago, I filed a formal complaint against the department head because of his continued infantile behavior and threats to "fix" my water bill. For years, there have been claims that the water meter readings are inaccurate and when the person over that department boasts that he and another department head can assign whatever rate they want, it makes a normal person wonder if the allegations levied against this department are true. There's some doubt that the message above was actually penned by Danny Davis. I know he's stupid but I doubt he's that stupid. Or is he. A...

With all that's wrong with Lumberton, this place had a rich legacy of service, respect and compassion for it's citizens and at the help of this legacy of customer-orientated compassion was none other that Mrs. Faye Houts Englle; affectionately known as Mrs. Faye. In a time when 2 out of the 3 department heads are utterly unprofessional, I thought I would take time to reflect on a person that was always warm, welcoming, professional, knowledgeable and she was a jewel that shined brightly. "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies?" As many of you know, there's practically no virtue within the walls of Lumberton's city hall. We must rely on memory and reflect on a time when honor, integrity, compassion were not only words but attributes and Ms. Faye not only embodied these attributes but she exemplified them every day. As I reflect on the gentle, kind nature of Ms. Faye, I realized that she was always present i...

Repost: from Dalton Traylor : DISCLAIME R: If you can't stand the heat, you may want to vacate not just the kitchen, but the entire facility. Now. As many of you know, the Young Americans for Liberty chapter at PRCC has planned a debate at the Brownstone center between the qualified candidates running for the district 106 house seat. This has been known since early September. The candidates currently "qualified" are Ben Winston, Daniel Wise, John Corley, Larry Davis, and Greg Holcomb. They were all invited to attend this debate. I felt the community deserved to hear all of their opinions on key issues in a real environment, not a rehearsed speech at a meet and greet. Now, to the point. I spent hours upon hours preparing for this event, even going as far as to nearly sacrifice the integrity of the debate by reducing the number of questions they needed to prepare for exponentially and randomly assigning and giving the candidates the questions they needed to prepare 90 ...

The other day, I was out and about and my path crossed with Lumberton's Public Works Director, Danny Davis and this was his response. Danny almost ran off the side of the road trying to flip me the bird but it wasn't like he was actually doing any work. Keep in mind, this is a representative of the City of Lumberton. I'm sure there's a provision in the City of Lumberton's employee handbook that shuns this type of behavior. Particularly the portion that states "Employees owe a duty to the City of Lumberton and its citizens to act ina way that will merit continued trust and confidence of the public." Now ask yourself, do you trust a department will fairly and accurately read your water meters when their department head behaves in this manner? I don't and neither should you; especially since the board has approved yet another water rate increase. What's wrong Danny? Are you upset that your FUPA has blocked your vie...

Early Saturday morning there was a knock at my door. Everyone that knows me know I don't like unannounced visitors. I hesitantly opened the door with a frown on my face so the unannounced visitor would know they disturbed my Saturday morning routine and that I didn't want to be bothered. Well, when I looked up, there was Ben Winston standing at my door. I held on to my frown as he greeted me but my frown softened after he said he needed to talk to me and ask for my forgiveness. I was actually shocked because I have spoken some hurtful but truthful things about Ben Winston the politician and pastor. At one point, I even questioned the motives of Ben Winston the person. I was already feeling rushed because I actually volunteered to work that day. I informed Ben that I couldn't talk with him at the moment but I could talk to him later in the day. He then said he would like it if my mother would join us in the conversation. I told him I would be able to talk t...

The purpose of life is to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you lived and it's evident that Mary Ball is walking in her purpose. After 42 years of faithful service, Ball has retired from Bancorp South. At some point, Mary Ball, has touched the lives of everyone in the City of Lumberton. Her presence, caring, concern and graciousness is the common thread that has developed the beautiful tapestry of customer service at Bancorp South. For many of us, Mary Ball is the reason why we stayed with our local bank. Over the years, she has helped us open out bank accounts, balance our books, reminded us of events happening in Lumberton, helped with our deposits, withdrawals and sometimes an overdraft. After getting comforted by Mary Ball, the sting of an overdraft fee didn't hurt as much. We would take the hit and her advice to closely monitor our spending. Winston Churchill said that "We make a living by what we get, but we mak...

After winning the special election with 20 out of 33 votes, Susan Crittendon will be sworn in as the new alderperson of Ward 2 in Lumberton. The seat was vacated by the notorious stealer of lighters, Hugh Jay McGraw. I didn't see a lot of news coverage regarding the election since it was practically a drama free event, but I noticed Kent Crider's go to reporter, Haskel Burns, stringed an article together in the Hattiesburg American but most of the story was about the previous special election that had questionable results. I guess we're still reminded of the Ghosts of Election's Past and the asterisk that will forever loom over the tainted election. During the special election, Linda Knight was clueless regarding her responsibilities as the Election Commissioner for the City of Lumberton so she conceded her duties and allowed Merlene Wall, the dumb-witted city clerk that cannot operate BBI or prepare a budget, to run the election. Let's not forget about Mary...

I noticed the work on the roof of the Lumberton Museum is going great but I wonder if the people of Lumberton know that the elected officials of Lumberton are not interested in supporting local businesses. The money raised for the museum came from current and former residents of Lumberton; when the bidding process was opened, the representative for Hickman and Associates (Firm used by the City of Lumberton to secure grant money for the airport) assured Mrs. Bogle and the other members of the Lumberton Museum Committee that they could select the company they wanted to use since the monies for the project were obtained through donations. Well, somewhere during that process, the rules he outlined changed. The museum committee wanted to use a local contractor but it seems that the board was not on board. I made calls to city hall to see if I could obtain a copy of the bids but I had to file a FOI request. After looking over the submitted bids, the most professional bid came from...