talk
news, culture & irreverence
REBRANDING, from page 6
what services are offered,” Whitwell said. Johnsonsaidthefocusoftheplanisformarketing in the Jackson metro area. The city will talk with the Convention and Visitors Bureau about using their resources to implement the campaign within a 100-mile radius of the city. Separate from the new marketing plan, the city will soon broadcast a television commercial in 20 markets across the southeastern U.S. aimed at promoting tourism to Jackson.
Thompson said it is time for Jackson to have a full-scale marketing plan, especially with similar plans popping up in towns like Madison recently. “The support is there with the administration, and citizens are ready for something,” Thompson said. Councilman Charles Tillman, Ward 5, and Council President Tony Yarber, Ward 6, said at the meeting that they, too, are ready to
CITY BEAT: Campaigns, Panhandlers and Buses of City Hall that he could campaign from his seat all he wants now, since he is no longer council president. JACOB FULLER
Campaigning from the Chair Ward 4 Councilman Frank Bluntson said earlier this month that he will not officially announce his candidacy for the job of Jackson’s mayor until next year. The black Chevy Tahoe he has been driving around town with three large “Frank Bluntson for Mayor” decals on the windows seems to have beaten him to the punch. Meanwhile, Bluntson has been priming anyone who’ll listen about next year’s mayoral campaign. In recent months, he has used nearly every chance he’s had to criticize Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. during Jackson City Council meetings. He was at it again Monday during the council’s work session. When Johnson spoke about the new ADA-compliant bus stops, Bluntson wanted to know why the project was taking so long. Johnson then took a stab at Bluntson’s late buddy Frank Melton by pointing out that the project had the needed funds when Melton took office. Bluntson quickly turned it back on Johnson. “You’ve been back nearly four years, and you’re still just getting this started,” Bluntson said. More than a couple of fellow councilmembers made it clear they didn’t appreciate Bluntson campaigning from his council president’s seat when they voted Tony Yarber, Ward 6, as the new council president July 10. After that meeting, Bluntson told WAPT reporter Scott Simmons on the steps
Ward 4 Councilman Frank Bluntson, a candidate in next year’s mayoral race, has taken every chance he can to oppose Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. at City Council meetings.
Whitwell v. Panhandlers Ward 1 Councilman Quentin Whitwell introduced an amendment in the Intergovernmental Committee meeting July 5 to a city ordinance that would triple the fine for panhandling and introduce second- and thirdoffense penalties that could include jail time. The amendment passed in committee and will go before the entire Council.
A bug have you moping at Millsaps?
see Jackson cast in a better light. “I’m excited about us even looking at a marketing campaign,” Yarber said. “I find it absolutely hilarious that I can watch TV and see commercials about Madison and everybody else, and as soon as we start talking about doing a marketing piece, then people are commenting (negatively). It’s hilarious.” Comment at www.jfp.ms. Contact Jacob Fuller at Jacob@jacksonfreepress.com.
by Jacob Fuller
How someone who is already begging for change could afford to pay a fine or where police would house panhandlers—the county jail is already tight for space—doesn’t seem to be Whitwell’s concern. He said a city ordinance against panhandling is already in place, which fines those charged with panhandling. He just wants to remind people that it is there. At the council work session July 23, Whitwellindicatedthathomelesspeoplecome to Jackson because the city is easy on them. “It’s time people get their heads out of the sand,” Whitwell said. “Our homeless population is burgeoning. It’s becoming more enhanced and intense. There used to be a time when everybody knew old Joe down the road and what his situation was and what his story was and what the problem was. We’ve got people now that are coming here specifically with specific intentions.” Whitwell mentioned two Clarion-Ledger stories that he said clearly articulated the homeless problem, which the city must do something about. He also gave a shout-out, of sorts, to the Jackson Free Press. “Mr. Fuller’s paper wants to say I’m the most hateful, spiteful, mean person in the world because I want to go lock people up,” he said. “I don’t want to lock anybody up. I also don’t want anybody getting hurt. We’ve got people being accosted. We’ve got people being yelled at and screamed at. Their personal space is being violated. We’ve got to do something.”
Maybe the final draft of Whitwell’s amendment will include a change in the definition of panhandling to include “accosting, yelling, screaming and violating personal space” and drop the jail part. A New Place to Wait JATRAN passengers may find themselves at one of several new bus stops around the city in the coming months. The city council voted July 24 on an order to amend the city’s contract with Integrated Management Services with about $900,000 in improvements to 25 bus stops. The main goal of the project is to make the bus stops compliant with regulations in the Americans with Disabilities Act. The plan was originally started during Mayor Harvey Johnson’s first term. Johnson said when Frank Melton was elected and Johnson left office, the funds were in place to improve the bus stops. What happened to the project once Melton took over is unclear. Now the funding is in place once again, and the project is close to getting under way. Johnson said with the funding, part of which came from federal stimulus money, all parts of the bus stops must be made in the United States. One part that IMS was using was not made in the U.S., they discovered. So now they are purchasing Americanmade parts, Johnson said, and will soon begin construction. Comment at www.jfp.ms. Email Jacob Fuller at jacob@jacksonfreepress.com.
Our walk-in doctor’s office is less than two minutes away.
jacksonfreepress.com
Creative Group is worth $45,000. Ward 1 Councilman Quentin Whitwell said during the meeting that the city won’t be doing a lot of marketing with that amount of money, but Johnson said that the deal is for the group’s professional expertise in creating a plan, not an entire marketing campaign, which would include creative services and media placement costs. “We need to make sure we know exactly
The doctor will see you now. No appointment necessary
Ground Floor of The Colonnades 601.714.6444
7 Patient 1st JFP 6 col x 3 5-12.indd 1
5/29/12 11:33 AM