JACKSON, Miss.—Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba updated the public ahead of potential inclement weather, ongoing repairs at Thalia Mara Hall and his re-election bid during a press conference on Monday.
“We’re expecting bitterly cold temperatures over the next several days,” the mayor said on Jan 6. at City Hall.
As of Jan. 7, the National Weather Service anticipates a slight chance of sleet and freezing rain and brief period of light snow that may impact travel, particularly on Thursday and Friday.
The City of Jackson is partnering with Shower Power, a homelessness outreach organization, to provide temporary shelter at Shepard’s Gym at 1355 Hattiesburg St. this week to those who may need to escape the inclement weather, the mayor said.
Although the City is slated to keep the emergency shelter open through Saturday morning, Shower Power Director of Operations Mary Ann Kirby said in a statement to the Mississippi Free Press that they are “keeping a close eye on the weather and could possibly extend that end date accordingly.”
Thalia Mara Hall Reopening Jan. 17
The mayor also gave an update on the condition of Thalia Mara Hall, the performance art theater that the City closed for repairs and mold remediation on Aug. 1, 2024.
“We anticipate—barring any unforeseen challenges—Jan. 17 as the date that it will reopen,” he said.
The City’s indefinite closure of the performance hall last August left some in the arts community as well as a City of Jackson employee publicly calling for more transparency about ongoing issues in the theater.
“I’m saddened because Jackson has so many opportunities that we miss out on,” Xperience JXN Entertainment owner Yolanda Singleton said in a Sept. 5 press release. “It seems like it’s down to poor leadership, negligence and abandonment. And, I’m frustrated because the citizens of Jackson deserve better.”
Thalia Mara Hall Director Angela Ladner also spoke out publicly about the matter, saying in an interview with WLBT that she had previously warned city officials about issues like faulty plumbing, a broken elevator and sinking orchestra pit.
“No internet, no elevator. We didn’t have an elevator this entire year. We had no ADA access,” she told WLBT. “I’m screaming at the top of my lungs, emailing weekly reports—everything. But meanwhile, we’re slammed,” she continued.
Ladner resigned from the position in November.
‘I’m Still Running’
During the press conference Monday, the mayor—who currently faces an array of federal criminal charges related to an ongoing bribery investigation of several Hinds County elected officials—also reiterated his intention to run for a third term. He has denied the charges of wrongdoing.
“My plans are still the same. I’m still running,” Lumumba told reporters.
The mayor said he feels there’s more work to be done in the position. “For me, I am only running if I think it’s necessary and I think there are things that are necessary to fight for for the residents of Jackson.”
He named “rehabbing facilities, driving more revenue for the city and infrastructure projects” as some of the issues he would prioritize if re-elected for a third term.
