Jackson Free Press

The Clarion Ledger reports:

Jackson mayoral candidate Frank Melton promised he will get young adults training to help rebuild squalid inner-city neighborhoods.

Melton used a bus tour through the city Tuesday to explain his plan.

The mayoral race has heated up since Monday when Melton's residency in the city was challenged. His so-called "reality ride" tour, in contrast to Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr.'s monthly Pride Ride, took a charter bus full of media and Melton supporters through Washington Addition, the Farish Street Neighborhood Historic District and some other areas with dilapidated housing.

While Melton was on the bus, Johnson was at his State Street campaign headquarters meeting with a group of religious leaders who offered support to Johnson's bid for a third term in office.

Melton faces Johnson and Annell Smith in the May 3 Democratic primary. The winner will face Republican Rick Whitlow in the June 7 general election.

During the bus tour, Melton pointed to empty businesses, garbage overflowing from trash bins, children in the streets and loitering on porches on a school morning, and hundreds of boarded-up homes.

"Cohea Street is more than 60 percent boarded up," Melton said. "Peoples Funeral Home (is) one of the city's prominent businesses and there are boarded up houses all around it. Look what they have to deal with."

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