Mississippi News
Poll: Jacksonians give Lumumba and Reeves low marks handling water crisis
Poll: Jacksonians give Lumumba and Reeves low marks handling water crisis
Jackson residents generally believe Democratic Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is doing a better job than Republican Gov. Tate Reeves dealing with the city's failing water system, according to a poll conducted Thursday and Friday — but both received low marks.
Of the poll respondents, 34.8% found Reeves' handling of the crisis totally unacceptable while 21.6% found it poor. Meanwhile, 31.3% found Lumumba's efforts totally unacceptable while 15.2% rated it as poor. The poll found 35.6% gave Lumumba great or good marks while only 22.6% said the same for Reeves.
The survey was conducted by Blueprint Polling, a sister company of Chism Strategies – a Mississippi-based firm that has long done political and public policy surveys.
Blueprint polled 491 Jackson voters on landlines and cell phones this week. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4% and was weighted in an attempt to match the demographics of Jackson voters – heavily African American and Democratic. African Americans made up 84% of the respondents.
Jackson residents, based on poll results, were split on the long-term issue of how to fix the water system. Estimates put that fix at more than $1 billion, according to the city. The poll found 30.6% of respondents favored the state providing funds for the fix with the city continuing to operate the system, while 30.1% favored the creation of a regional water board. Another 20.6% favor a state takeover.
More white voters (40%) favor a state takeover while 24.2% of Black voters do. Black voters are not keen on the city continuing to run the system with only 32.1% supporting that option compared to only 21.4% of white voters.
The water system has been in a state of disrepair for years, but the problems intensified in recent days. On Monday night, the governor declared a state of emergency, citing the lack of water pressure throughout the city for many of the more than 170,000 customers on the system and the lack of safe drinking water for all the customers. President Joe Biden issued a federal emergency order later in the week, deploying federal personnel and resources to help state and local officials deal with the immediate problems, but not the long-term fix.
Jackson has been under a boil water notice since late June. The problems grew in recent days because of Pearl River flooding impacting the reservoir, which is the city's primary source of water, and the inability of city officials to adequately staff the system's water treatment plants.
The pollsters surmised that “we expect opinions to continue to evolve as voters learn more about the city's recent management history over the Jackson water system.”
In addition, the pollsters pointed out the survey was conducted before U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who represents most of Jackson, weighed in on the problems facing the system. Thompson said on Mississippi Today's “The Other Side” podcast that the state had not lived up to its obligations in helping maintain the system, but by the same token he would not favor the city having sole authority of the system unless it could demonstrate an ability to adequately do so.
Because of Thompson's position as the only Democrat in the congressional delegation and because of his relationship with the president and his high ranking position in Congress, “ it is doubtful that any lasting solution will be reached without Congressman Thompson's approval.”
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
CPD makes Aggravated Domestic Violence arrest
SUMMARY: On April 27th, Columbus Police responded to a gunshot victim in the 800 block of North Lehmberg. Courtney Stewart Wiggly was arrested for shooting her husband, Daryl Wiggly, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was flown to Jackson for treatment. Courtney is in custody at Lowndes County Adult Detention Center awaiting her Initial Appearance. The incident is being investigated as aggravated domestic violence. Follow updates on Facebook for more news.
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Mississippi News
Seniors of “Mayor’s Youth Council” honored for accomplishments
SUMMARY: The Mayor's Youth Council in Aberdeen, Mississippi honors graduating seniors for their accomplishments. The council, started by Mayor Charles Scott, focuses on community service projects, field trips to learn about history, leadership, and character traits. Incoming Mayor Dwight Stevens looks forward to continuing the work of the council and emphasizes the importance of giving back to the community and taking on leadership roles. The swearing-in ceremony for Stevens and other elected officials will take place on May 7 at Aberdeen City Hall. The council aims to empower young leaders to be voices in their community and make a difference.
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Mississippi News
Columbus YMCA celebrates 100 years
SUMMARY: The YMCA in Columbus, Mississippi celebrated its 100th anniversary with a block party on April 27. Executive Director Jimmy Woodruff expressed gratitude for the organization and its impact on the community through activities like after school programs, summer camps, and swimming lessons. The YMCA has a vision to continue positively impacting people's lives for the next 100 years. The organization's swimming pool is almost a century old, reflecting the long history of the YMCA. Woodruff emphasized the importance of community involvement and the YMCA's passion for helping people of all ages and backgrounds.
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