It came as a shock, but not a total surprise, when I found out Monday morning that Laurel Mayor Melvin Mack was not seeking a second term in office. His health has been a topic of concern for a couple of years now.
Mayor Mack was one of the first people to welcome me to this community. Former LL-C publisher Crystal Dupre` and myself attended an event at Nora Davis Elementary School to accept an award on behalf of the newspaper. Afterwards, I was introduced to Mayor Mack. We had a very good conversation and I walked away very impressed by how welcoming he was to the new “newspaper man” in town.
Some may not agree with his policies or politics, but there is no denying that Mayor Mack’s legacy will be a tough one to follow for who ever takes his place. The first African American mayor in Laurel, just months after taking office he was faced with one of — if not the largest — natural disaster to hit this community when Hurricane Katrina struck. I was in Pearl River County covering the recovery after the storm, but from all accounts, Mayor Mack was instrumental in the recovery effort in the days and weeks following the hurricane.
Since that time, I have seen this city and community come together to pass a school bond issue that many felt would never be accomplished and I am not alone in my assertion that Mayor Mack was critical in its passage.
There’s no denying Laurel has several issues it must face in the weeks, months and years ahead that the next mayor must confront. I hope that person can do it with the same class Mayor Melvin Mack displayed.
I personally would like to wish Mayor Mack all the best as he recovers physically and thank him for his years of service to our community.
— Rob Sigler
Editor
Editorials
Big footprints to follow
- Editorials
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Dems’ turnout slips since ‘07 primary
More people voted Democratic than Republican in Mississippi’s primaries last week, but that doesn’t mean the Dems should break out the bubbly. In fact, the numbers might give them reason for heartburn.
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Risk-rewards of beachfront homeownership
People who build beachfront homes in Biloxi know they are taking a risk. Maybe not this year or the next or even the next, but sooner or later Mother Nature will deliver her fury, usually in the form of a hurricane, against the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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OUR VIEW: Awesome job in landing major company locally
Christmas came six months early for Jones County when it was announced this week a major manufacturer would set up shop in the Howard Technology Park, something the facility has been attempting to acquire for years. And from all accounts, it was a team effort to have this gift end up in our lap.
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Hurdles to taxing online sales
The next time you’re talking with candidates for the Legislature, ask if they think everyone should pay their fair share of sales taxes.
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New Choctaw chief seeks tribal unity
For 28 years, Phillip Martin was the very public face of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, as comfortable in the halls of Congress as he was at the Mississippi Capitol.
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OUR VIEW: Tough Decisions Ahead
Jones County Tax Assessor Ramona Q. Blackledge recently released preliminary revenue numbers for the coming year compared to this year and it looks like we will be facing a loss of about $700,000 in our annual revenues.
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OUR VIEW: Why the obsession?
The earth finally began to rotate once again Tuesday afternoon after being suspended while the world watched the Casey Anthony murder trial play out the past month in a Florida courtroom.
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ATV drivers need safe place to ride
The recent front-page article regarding problems caused by riding ATV’s (All-Terrain Vehicles) in improper places and manner motivated me to pass along some thoughts I have on the issue.
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Dems’ turnout slips since ‘07 primary
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