City Board requiring Civil Service

Commissioners to appear before them regarding

allegations made by former fire chief Vernell Felder

The McComb city board instructed City administrator Quordiniah Lockley to draft a letter ordering Civil Service commissioners to appear at its board meeting on Tuesday, August 10th to discuss the decision by two of the three member commission not to allow former fire chief Vernell Felder to return to the department as a captain.

This Saturday at 7 pm at McComb High School the Pike County Iron Horse semi-pro football team will put its 1-1 record on the line when it hosts the Jackson Juggernauts (2-0) in the 1st Annual I-55 Classic.

This is the first season of the first ever professional football team in Pike County. The regular season is 10 weeks, playoffs 2 weeks, followed by championship game, which ends the season.

Slander trial ends in a mistrial; mayor’s rival, Gillis removed

Mayor’s earlier motion for mistrial denied but then Judge ruled mistrial

A Pike County Circuit Judge declared a mistrial in McComb Mayor Zach Patterson’s slander suit against Police Chief Greg Martin.

He did not place blame on anyone in the courtroom or any specific media outlet that covered the trial.

The mistrial was granted on the basis of “inflamatory” publicity surrounding the case, Strong said.

On Wednesday morning Mayor Zach Patterson made a motion for mistrial before Judge David Strong citing press coverage of the trial and the “Son of a b_ _ _ _ !” outburst by Attorney Norman Gillis as an attempt to intimidate jurors. Judge Strong denied the motion.

McComb Attorney and businessman, Norman Gillis, was banned from the trial of Mayor Zach Patterson v Greg Martin for calling the mayor a “son of a b_ _ _ _” out loud in the courtroom Tuesday.

Prior Mississippi-Tribune investigative reports revealed Gillis, the owner of Gillis Drug Store, as one of the chief architects of the controversies at City Hall.

While Mayor Patterson and Attorney John Ott was in a bench conference with Judge Strong, Gillis, sitting in close proximity to Sheriff Mark Shepherd, yelled out, “That son of a b_ _ _ _!” In adding insult to injury, Patterson’s mother and father sat only a couple of rows away from Gillis and was clearly disturbed by his outburst.

Letter: Several Mississippi Tribune clients told to stop advertising

Seen as an attempt to force the newspaper to go out of business

Some advertising clients of the Mississippi Tribune have received an anonymous letter with no return address urging them to stop advertising with this newspaper.

The letter said these advertisers, “white” businesses and “mainstream” businesses/organizations , are supporting racial division in the city. The writer/writers of the letter urged them to stop advertising with the newspaper immediately.

“Losing our advertiser would have an adverse affect on our ability to continue to provide a service that not only benefits the African American community but our community as a whole,” according to Mississippi Tribune President, Trideana Lenard.