Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is holding his weekly briefing right now. The presser is live-streamed below.
* The Mayor and Fire Chief Willie Owens several firefighters for rescuing a man trapped on the second floor of the Fondren Hill Apartments as they burned. The JFD Lifesaving Award was given to Captain Gillespie, Fire Lieutenant Tucker, and Relief Driver/Operator Lovett.
* The Neighborhood Services Division is working on a "Utilities Day." The utility companies are invited to come under "one roof" so residents may meet with them.
* A reporter asked whether the new parking meters were producing more revenue. Mayor Lumumba said the city had not received such information but would make it available when it did so. Hizzoner said anecdotally they were seeing more traffic at the meters.
* Ross Adams said two downtown restaurant owners told him the new meters were having a negative effect on their business. Hizzoner said people detracted from spending $1 on parking for lunch weren't really interested in eating lunch at that establishment.
* A reporter asked about the status of Thalia Mara Hall. The Mayor said they are ensuring the air-conditioning is fixed and working with the Convention Complex for events.
* The Mayor said the rental fee for Thalia Mara Hall was "inefficient" and "inexpensive." He said someone could rent the hall for $1,200. He said companies were making hundreds of thousands of dollars while paying only $1,200 for rent per event. "We are going to look at expanding the menu options," said the Mayor. The Mayor said he will ask the City Council to increase the rental fees for the auditorium.
* Ross Adams asked about the status of the Jackson Zoo. Parks & Rec Director Dr. Muhammad accused WLBT of distorting facts after it reported 13 animals have died since March 2023. Hizzoner said animals dying in zoos was a regular occurrence.
Mr. Muhammad (PhD) said the animals are not dying "at an alarming rate." He addressed photos of the exhibits that are circulating online. He said they are not supposed to look "manicured" as they are the habitat for animals.
He conceded the zoo is not bringing in revenue to match its investment. He blamed some of it for the lack of various forms of electronic payment. He said the zoo turned away 400 patrons in May for not having electronic payments. The lost revenue was $5,700. He said the city missed out on $6,800 in June and $11,000 in July for not having electronic payments. The electronic payments should be operational at the end of the month.
Although the city does not offer electronic payment at the gate, customers can purchase tickets on the zoo's website.
18 comments:
CNN and several other national media outlets ranked U.S. cities, and Jackson was named the Murder Capital of the U.S. with a violent crime rate 2.6 times greater than the national average. The murder rate is 15 times the national average.
"The Mayor said the rental fee for Thalia Mara Hall was "inefficient" and "inexpensive." He said someone could rent the hall for $1,200. He said companies were making hundreds of thousands of dollars while paying only $1,200 for rent per event. "We are going to look at expanding the menu options," said the Mayor. The Mayor said he will ask the City Council to increase the rental fees for the auditorium."
Hey, Chowke, you might want to take a look at the rental revenue on Smith-Wills while you're focused on "give-aways."
With New Orleans roughly three hours away, why in the hell would anyone bother with the Jackson Zoo?
2:30, Hattiesburg also has a pretty nice zoo
"With New Orleans roughly three hours away, why in the hell would anyone bother with the Jackson Zoo?"
Or with Thalia Mara?
" He said companies were making hundreds of thousands of dollars while paying only $1,200 for rent per event."
If Chockwe's buddy can't fleece the city on the Smith-Wills parking lot contract, then he wants a percentage of the gross on the white-folks functions at Thalia-Mara.
" Hizzoner said anecdotally they were seeing more traffic at the meters."
UUUHHHHH, NO, we're not. It is a freaking ghost town driving into downtown. Every time he opens his mouth a lie comes out! I guess people are parking in their assigned spots in parking lots and garages now.
The local Sno-Cone stand in the grocery store parking lot can take a card, but the City of Jackson Zoo cannot??????
Hburg has a competent mayor.
City has had the zoo since fall of 2019. Plenty of time to implement electronic payments. Mayor has been in charge since 2017. That means 7 years where Thalia Mara has been "undercharging" under his watch. Just curious. Is he going to treat the symphony and opera the same as the concerts?
The late fees the city is paying to contractors (because the city can't pay its bills on time) are enough to operate the zoo for a year.
Great job by the firefighters.
The Jackson way
At least Chokwe understands biology, animals do die. The question is, does the zoo have the money, expertise and facilities to purchase and properly care for new animals? Have they even purchased or bred new animals in the last five years? I think we all the know the answer to those questions. Close the zoo, send the animals to zoos that can properly care and exhibit them.
Mr. Muhammed(Ph.D) sounds like he has a doctorate in Bovine Scatology with all of those excuses.
Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it.
BTW the woman complaining about water being turned off for non payment as she didn’t have an account for years while receiving FREE WATER. That is Not a Human Rights violation as she can go to the store and buy bottled water until she works out a payment plan. What gives her the right to free water while everyone else pays. I DO NOT BELIEVE TED H. threatened her. Drive to Eastover and the Mayor can provide you with water!
Cash money is easier to disappear electronic leaves a trail.
Post a Comment