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Quentin Whitwell Running for Mayor 'On the Low'?

An email is circulating Jackson asking voters to write in the name of Ward 1 Councilman and lobbyist Quentin Whitwell, a Republican, for mayor in the June 4 general election. The email implores supporters to back Whitwell but to keep it on the low, meaning not to spread the news …

Politics Blog

Regina Quinn Asks Independents to Drop Out of Mayoral Race

Former mayoral candidate and Chokwe Lumumba supporter Regina Quinn contacted two of the three independent candidates asking them to drop out of the June 4 general election to select Jackson's next mayor. Councilman Chokwe Lumumba won the Democratic runoff earlier this week, defeating businessman Jonathan Lee by more than 3,000 …

Jackblog

WAPT Headline Misleads on Lumumba and Christopher Columbus

You want to know why people are scared of Chokwe Lumumba? Here's a good place to start. The headline that appears on a story that the WAPT web site (www.wapt.com) reads, "Lumumba wants to remove Christopher Columbus from history books." The headline is misleading at best. I was at the …

Jackblog

JFP Bringing Home More Awards

The Association of Alternative Newsmedia has announced its award finalists for stories published in 2012.

Jackblog

Old Canton Road Closed at Crane for Repair of Sinkhole

A major sinkhole on Old Canton Road at Crane Boulevard that became a whipping post in the mayoral election is being repaired starting today. The city sent out this alert this morning: Traffic Alert The City of Jackson Department of Public Works announces that it has closed Old Canton Road …

Jackblog

Open Letter to Mr. Lumumba from Ward 7 Couple

This open letter came late on runoff night. We are reposting it verbatim. Send other "open letter" submissions (up to 1,000 words with verifiable facts and respectful tone) to [email protected]. Dear Mr. Lumumba, We are a white couple in our early 30s that live in Ward Seven who did not …

Politics Blog

Open Letter to Jacksonians from Dorothy Triplett

Long-time Jacksonian Dorothy Triplett sent us this letter earlier today. It is reprinted verbtim: I supported Mayor Johnson in the primary, and was disappointed that the voters (only 30 percent of the eligible voters) chose not to send him into the runoff. Once I pushed that disappointment down and asked …

All Politics is Local

Destination City Hall: Who Will Occupy The New Center?

Whatever the result of the election, and I think we will all be up late tonight, my observation is that regardless of who wins, Jackson will be setting a new course, much different from the one Mayor Johnson had charted during his terms. The old center has not held, and the voters have already expressed their eagerness to forge a new one. The tectonic plates, having ground against each other for these many years, are shifting, and by tomorrow morning we shall read in the results which one is ascendant and which is descendant.

Politics Blog

WAPT Poll Shows Lee's Lead Over Lumumba Down Dramatically

WAPT just released Mason-Dixon poll results that show that mayoral candidate Jonathan Lee's lead has shrunk three points since Friday, and Chokwe Lumumba's support has increased seven points. Lee leads 46 percent to 42 percent going into tomorrow's pivotal run-off face. The poll showed 12 percent still undecided. Lee led …

Politics Blog

Clarion-Ledger and John Horhn Endorse Lee; Norwood Endorses Lumumba

Several new endorsements have happened over the weekend. Today, The Clarion-Ledger endorsed Jonathan Lee for mayor, after endorsing Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. in the primary. Sen. John Horhn, who ran for Jackson mayor, four years ago, has also endorsed Lee. Over the weekend, new Sen. Sollie Norwood, formerly a JPS …

Politics Blog

FACTCHECK: Did Chokwe Lumumba "kill an FBI agent and get away with it"?

As we approach the mayoral runoff, which will most surely decide Jackson's next mayor, the rumors are flying fast and furious. One we heard yesterday is that Chokwe Lumumba "killed an FBI agent and got away with it." This is a false assertion. But it surely morphed out of his …

Politics Blog

Attorney Herb Irvin's Open Letter to Jonathan Lee

This open letter to mayoral candidate Jonathan Lee just came via email. Here it is, verbatim: Jonathan Lee Candidate for Mayor of Jackson Public Letter Dear Mr. Lee: After watching one of your recent campaign commercials in which you portrayed Chokwe Lumumba as radical and racist, I was compelled to …

Politics Blog

Bennie Thompson Backs Lumumba, Links Lee to GOP

Democratic U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson is wading into the Jackson mayor's race, and endorsing Councilman Chokwe Lumumba over political upstart and businessman Jonathan Lee. In the R-and-B-laced radio ad, Thompson refrains from naming Lee but says: "When I see Republicans from Rankin and Madison counties endorsing the other so-called Democrat, …

Politics Blog

Lumumba's New Endorsements; Stokes to JFP: "Kiss My Ass"

The campaign to elect City Councilman Chokwe Lumumba as mayor announced several endorsements from key city leaders Friday morning in front of City Hall. Among the endorsements Lumumba received were State Representatives Earl Banks and Jim Evans and District 5 Hinds County Supervisor Kenneth Stokes and his wife, Ward 3 …

Politics Blog

Can you vote in the May 21 runoff if you didn't vote in the primary?

A local television report apparently has people confused about whether they can vote in the Democratic runoff for Jackson mayor and city council if they didn't bother to vote in the runoff. The answer is yes. Here is a statement from Jackson City Clerk Brenda Pree: “ All registered voters …

Jackblog

Gulf Biz Smacked with $1m Fine for Mucking Wetlands

Verbatim statement from the US DOJ: MISSISSIPPI CORPORATION PLEADS GUILTY AND AGREES TO $ 1 MILLION FINE FOR ILLEGALLY FILLING PROTECTED WETLANDS WASHINGTON – Mississippi-based Hancock County Land LLC (HCL) pleaded guilty today to the unpermitted filling of wetlands near Bay St. Louis, Miss., and agreed to pay a $1 …

Politics Blog

Lumumba's Close Call with Disbarment

"Look, Judge, if we've got to pay for justice around here, I will pay for justice. I've paid other judges to try to get justice, pay you, too, if that's what is necessary." That statement, made by attorney Chokwe Lumumba to Leake County Circuit Judge Marcus D. Gordon on October …

Politics Blog

More About Lumumba's Top Donors

Here's a list of Chokwe Lumumba's top campaign donors* this year, over the past two reporting cycles: Barry W. Howard ($10,000) - Madison, Miss. Howard has given to at least one Democratic candidate for Mississippi statewide office, Gary Anderson, who ran for insurance commissioner in 2007. Chokwe Lumumba ($6,000) - …

Politics Blog

Lessons from Last Night's Mayoral Whatever That Was

Last night's mayoral forum/debate/"job interview" seemed to have been born of a desire to shake things up, to breathe new life into the stodgy, old question-and-answer-from-a-fixed-podium-style debates of yore. For that effort in thinking out of the box, the organizers at Leadership Jackson probably deserve a cookie. A small cookie, …

Politics Blog

Jonathan Lee Announces More Endorsements

At a press conference near City Hall, Democratic mayoral candidate Jonathan Lee and a handful of supporters announced a key endorsement from State Representative Credell Calhoun, who represents Mississippi's 68th district here in Jackson. Lee also received endorsements from his pastor at Anderson United Methodist Church Joe May and New …