City Council - Regular Meeting

supposed to take it. In a world of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing, the psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. In a world of fake news that's anaphylactic averse to the truth. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders decimating democracy one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time where ALL LEVERS OF GOVERNMENT have been pumped and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you we need leaders that have a resilient resolve. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning. In times like these where 319,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings and where in all our war is being waged on institutions of higher learning where academic freedoms are vanishing and anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve

in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. We need the church to stand UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND the blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is the church if the church shouts on Sunday MORNING BUT DOES NOT TAKE ISSUE with failing students Monday through Friday? What good is the church IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CUTS SNAP benefits and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is THE CHURCH? IF ICE CAN BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE WITH NO LEGAL ORDER, and you're supposed to take it,

in a world of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing, the Psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. In [snorts] a world of fake news that's anaphylactic, averse to the truth. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders, decimating democracy one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time where ALL LEVERS OF GOVERNMENT have been punked and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you, we need leaders that have a resilient resolve. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning. In times like these where 319,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings and where an allout war is being waged on institutions of higher learning where academic freedoms are vanishing and anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. We need the church to stand UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND the blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is the church if the church shouts ON

SUNDAY MORNING BUT DOES NOT TAKE ISSUE with failing students Monday through Friday? What good is the church IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CUTS SNAP benefits and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is the church? If ICE CAN BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE WITH NO LEGAL ORDER, and you're supposed to take it, in a world of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing, the Psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. In a world of fake news that's anaphylactic averse to the truth. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders decimating democracy one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time where ALL LEVERS OF GOVERNMENT have been punked and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you we need leaders that have a resilient resolve. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning. In times like these where 319,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings and where in all our war is being waged on institutions of higher learning where academic freedoms are banishing an anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve

in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. We need the church to stand UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND THE blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is the church if the church shouts on Sunday MORNING BUT DOES NOT TAKE ISSUE with failing students Monday through Friday? What good is the CHURCH IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT cuts SNAP benefits and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is the church? If ice can break INTO YOUR HOUSE WITH NO LEGAL ORDER and you're supposed to take it away.

Good evening everybody or good night, good morning, ever how you want to put it. It's good to be here. Whatever time it is. Um, my my my I just received this uh uh uh message right here uh about 30 minutes ago and I couldn't wait to get home fast enough to start my live cuz this woman is putting it down. Um my my my I thought the brother that was here in town last weekend um um the former Jimmy Carter um President Pastor uh Tony Loen, Reverend Tony Loen was here in Rocky Mount last week and he had me fired up and ready to go. And now tonight, as always, the women are at the forefront. And this woman is putting it down. I have been listening to it over and over and over again uh for about the last 30 minutes. Uh couldn't wait to get home, uh get to my laptop, get to my iPad. I got to learn how to do this stuff. So, right now I am um got my iPad focused on my laptop so you can see it. I normally uh just be audio um but um um I got to that ain't going to work. Um, I am going to, um, folk don't send me any messages right now while I'm live, but I'm going to play this again uh, uh, a couple of

times and, um, and then I'mma shut [snorts] this down. Um, let me see. Uh, let me see something here. Okay. Um well that that just a message so that's okay. But uh everybody I am live right now and I am playing this from uh Messenger. Um, so don't send me any messages right now. Hold off until I get off of this live. I reckon I could um do something. But like I said, I'm learning how to do this technology stuff and uh I got to get with folk got with a guy on yesterday. He showed me how to do some stuff, do some editing, but I ain't got it down yet. I got to keep practicing and and everything. But, uh, right now, um, I'm going to come on tonight and well, I'm already on and talk about Rocky Mount City Council, uh, uh, city government, um, um, financial issues and some of the noise that's out in the community, uh, some from the inside, uh, the council, but mostly from the outside. And, uh, y'all can listen to the noise if you want to. Uh before I start back playing this powerful message, I want you to think about this part. While you're listening to the to the damn noise, uh uh uh that mess sound good about not raising the utilities and all that kind of foolishness. Uh uh when they done told you that they haven't raised utilities all these years. Um um um I'm

going to come back later and talk about the Noah, but uh and also it was some concern about uh uh [snorts] temporarily shutting down the the um what is it? The Imperial Center and uh it's a lot of things out here that's dear to everybody, but you got to do what makes sense. Um, would you rather have uh not pay your light bill uh or pay a portion of your light bill? Like I said, I'll talk about that later. Uh uh shut down some some uh stuff that's not mandatory like the Imperial Center and wherever else and and uh increase the utilities versus the city going bankrupt. Now, if you think LGC uh uh they done told you they they are not qualified to come in and run a city, that's not what they do. And I've been following LGC for years. And when they came and took over Princeville and Princeville had uh uh uh water end up they end up having to buy their water from Tyber. Like the LGC said, some things may start out temporary, but it could end up permanent. So, you better be careful what you ask for. But, um, listen to this powerful woman some more. And, um, I'm going play it a couple more times and then I'm going to get into my message. Don't want to keep y'all long. Uh, got the city council meeting coming up Monday at 4:00. Um, but but here we go.

World of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing. The psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. For in a world of fake news that's anaphylactic averse to the truth. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders decimating democracy. one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time where ALL LEVERS OF GOVERNMENT have been punked and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you we need leaders that have a resilient resolve. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning in times like these where 319,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings and where in all our war is being waged on institutions of higher learning where academic freedoms are vanishing and anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve

in times [screaming] like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. WE NEED THE CHURCH TO STAND UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND the blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is the church if the church shouts on SUNDAY MORNING BUT DOES NOT TAKE ISSUE with failing students Monday through Friday? What good is the church IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CUTS SNAP benefits and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is the church? If ICE CAN BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE WITH NO LEGAL ORDER, and you're supposed to take it. In a world of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing, the Psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. In a world of fake news that's anaphylactic averse to the truth. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders decimating democracy one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time where all levers of government have been punked and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you we need leaders that have a resilient resolve. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning. In times like these where

319,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings and where an allout war is being waged on institutions of higher learning where academic freedoms are banishing an anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve

in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. We need the church to stand UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND THE blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is the church if the church shouts on Sunday morning but does not take issue with failing students Monday through Friday? What good is the CHURCH IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT cuts SNAP benefits and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is the church? If ICE can break into YOUR HOUSE WITH NO LEGAL ORDER, and you're supposed to take it,

in a world of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing, the psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. [snorts]

In a world of fake news that's anaphylactic, averse to the truth. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders, decimating democracy one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time where all levers of government have been pumped and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you we need leaders that have a resilient resolve. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning. In times like these where 319,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings and where in all our war is being waged on institutions of higher learning where academic freedoms are vanishing and anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve

in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. We need the church to STAND UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND THE blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is the church if the church shouts on Sunday MORNING BUT DOES NOT TAKE ISSUE with failing students Monday through Friday? What good is the CHURCH IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CUTS SNAP benefits and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is the church? If ICE can break into your house with no legal order, and you're supposed to take it.

In a world of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing, the Psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. In a world of fake news that's anaphylactic, averse to the truth. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders, decimating democracy one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time.

All right, everybody. Trust me, this is the last time. I don't heard it a thousand times since the last 30 minutes, but it get good and good every time. I hear it. This is the DCN smoke coming to you live tonight to talk about the Rocky Mount city government financial issues, the noise, the foolishness, the stupidness, and um uh wherever how you want to put it, but I'm going to go into detail uh my uh uh take on what's going on um and and and uh um um speak to you about the facts um as been presented uh because I've been around the table. But um I'mma finish playing this and we're going to go right on into uh what I came to do.

Where all levers of government have been pumped and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you we need leaders that have a resilient result. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to in the morning in times like these 309. I love that right there. Can she keep going? Cuz she going to be here to She's going to be there all night. Good God. Al sister, you better preach. I love it.

19,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings. And wherein all our war is being waged on institutions of higher learning. Where academic freedoms are vanishing and anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. We need the church to stand UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND THE blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is the church if the church shouts on Sunday MORNING BUT DOES NOT take issue with failing students Monday through Friday? What good is the CHURCH IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CUTS SNAP benefits and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is the church? If ICE can break INTO YOUR HOUSE WITH NO LEGAL ORDER and you're supposed to take it in a world of competing voices ways of being and

All right, this is the DCN smoke again. Now I'm going to um um go now. So, the screen is going black. Uh cuz I don't want nothing to pop up on my laptop. And um uh let me see. Let me see. Let me see. Oh, yeah. All right, y'all. Um uh come on, y'all. Let's just We got to start stop we got to stop acting on emotions and um deal with the root. I I see so many times folk acting on emotions not based on facts and and and and we got to stop it. Um I'm typing something. I'm responding to something. [sighs and gasps] [snorts] All right. Um, let me get on into what I came on to do because um, again, I can talk about what's going on at the Rocky Mount City Council uh, uh, city government because I have been going to the ME longer than anybody uh, any council member, city manager and others. And uh I have been recording the meme since the ' 90s. I've been around the table. I know what's going on.

I know some inside stuff. I know some outside stuff about being in the means while many folk are just reacting on uh uh the noise. And it just pisses me the hell off when you got people just acting on noise, even some from the inside. And and they they're feeding the ones on the outside and it's just pitiful. Now, I'm going to give you a little history. [snorts] They have been trying to discredit Andre Knight and Ruben Blackwell for 20 plus years. Um Andre bought that prestigious house over on Falls Road. Big old twotory house. He was a um uh he was teaching GED at Edgecon College. um came back from North Carolina Central, bought that prestigious house, not to live in it, but to have it for an adult daycare when people wanted to drop their ch u their family members off and go shopping or do whatever they wanted to do during the daytime. Well, he thought it was a go, but the planning board uh vote against him. Um he end up I told him he when he came to the NAACP um um I told him I said they going to fire you cuz Negro you you you too you you you too vocal. They going to fire you. He um he uh

he um he got evaluated twice in one year and they fired him. But you know he had established a a great community um rapport with the elderly and the young. So that's why he was grounded and rooted in the community. In spite of some of these new folk that that that that coming on the scene, they have no history, no clue about history, and just uh full of damn noise. This brother been through something. um when he um got on the council, the Edon County Democratic Party tried to uh they challenged his residency through a black ignorant negro uh uh uh jealous negro. uh uh uh one of the ones that because I talked to uh certain folk, they they they be uh uh uh coming for me. But um Reverend Roosevelt He was one of the main players that um were pushing it um uh his residency. Well, he uh had to come off. They put him back on. He ended up going to court and it's documented. You can look it up. I post it many times. Knight versus Higs. Andre end up suing the county. They had to pay his attorney fees. Um he's been on the council somewhere

around 20 23 years. Uh, reminds me of how when Carol Allen White, the clerk of superior court, was working at the clerk office back in 1990 and um, she filed to run for clerk and her boss fired her. Well, she won served in 1994. They formed a group uh, uh, incoming, some white folk and couple of black folk. Um and they campaigned against her and she lost. Uh uh and and and and and um she came back home four years after then. What? 1994. And she been there ever since. See, when you comfort folk uh the Lord will make a way. Matter of fact, was at Democratic Party meeting today and she spoke. But I know because I was the uh interim Edgecom County Democratic Party precinct chair during that time because the first vice, second vice uh came out and I was the third vice. I didn't want to move up, but the late Taro Knight came up to me during the meeting and said that uh man, you got to move up because we don't want Roosevelt Higs. So that's how I came the interim county chair. I had filed to run for school board had signs made and all that, but I had to get [clears throat] in make sure we got Carol White and we

also got the first black sheriff. She was she's the first black uh um and female clerk cook. Um um it was the same year we got the first black sheriff uh James Knight. I've been around I've been at the table been at the table around the table but those times I was at the table played a major role in both of those just like I did with the North State NAACP president Dr. the Reverend Real Barber. In 2005 when we was in Greensville, Reverend Al Shton was there. We had him as the speaker for the convention that year and had to fight to get Reber um um elected. But back to Rocky Mountain, we've been fighting and fighting and fighting all these years. And then you have ignorant racist white folk, ignorant safe negro black folk that has been fighting against and I'm going to say us, but I won't getting paid. Still ain't getting paid uh for the council and been going to the meeting longer than any of them on the council today. Um because I am an advocate like Philip paid member of the Roger Mount branch NAACP. uh precinct chair, uh community activist, uh uh um all kinds of committees. Um it just pisses me the hell off when uh go to the meetings, know what I'm talking about, and then got to get on social media and look at and and see the noise. But let me fast forward.

Um, again, they have been trying to discredit Andre Knight, Ruben Blackwell, and some others. And then when Re Jonah came on, so it was them three. Then you had TJ Walker. Then come Jay Kelly Walker. Um um Tom Harris, but before him, I forgot where his name blessed so he died. Oh god, I think um uh L Dress Mayor Santa Claus Robinson. Um, all of them came on uh to a certain degree to try to discredit Andre Knight and Ruben Blackwell. Lies ran on transparency. Uh uh I think the mayor well he he was trying to discredit him but I he had an endgame that was a run for Congress. Uh uh uh um Harris came on uh used to work at the bank so he was about the numbers. Uh TJ J Kelly was during the time of the young woke movement thing. Um they just what happened uh came time for to hire city manager. Well, they found this young guy, young fries, Virginia, Keith Rogers, young like them. They had the numbers. So all they had to do them two to come back to the table and automatically LE and uh um and the

rest of them was going to support them because keep in mind they've been trying to discredit Andre Knight and Ruben Blackwell at that time Richard Jordan was on the council. um no need for them to to um uh bring back a name because they didn't have the numbers. Now you got a super black majority on the council. You got well at that time you had Re Jonah, you had Re Andre Knight, you had Re Blackwell, you had Reverend TJ Walker. Uh uh four blacks to three whites. Uh uh now you got uh TJ Walker, Jay Kelly, Andre Knight, Ruin Blackwell, and you have uh um uh Charles Robson. So it's still it's five now. Uh five blacks uh uh even before Richard came on. So you had a super black majority, but that was only in numbers because the games were being played. And so what has happened, the game has backfired. Um, everybody know um and I don't know. All I know is the state auditor came in. She said what she said. And all I know is the $47,000

about Andre Knight light bill. Uh uh he's still on the council. I ain't trying to figure it out. But I know one thing. Anybody know me, I am for justice. No matter who it's for or against. I am for truth no matter who it's for against. So until these folk out here with the noise can prove that he had a $47,000 light bill until you can prove it. You need to go somewhere and sit down and shut the hell up. The city is in dire need right now. Um um the former state auditor Beth Woods, a Democrat, came to town often and she's friends with me on Facebook. If she ain't I guess we still friends right to the day. So everything I have said in the past and everything I say moving forward, hey I I stand behind what I say and if I need to be corrected I stand to be corrected. Um but again look at where she is. She came for him and she end up having a wreck leaving the scene and now she was asked to uh uh resign her post and she's out. Y'all better be careful how y'all come for folk. Many folk that have come for me, they have died. They in wheelchairs, uh, uh, uh, been in mental institutions,

and I'm still standing. Now, I ain't saying it's going to be that way forever, but I'm just saying all those folk that have come for me, the majority of them have gotten theirs. And them that still trying to come for me, you going to get yours. Because, see, I was put here for a reason. And I know what my reason is. I weren't born on Christmas day for no reason. I've been out here fighting a long time. Didn't have to, but I want to be a voice for the voiceless, the elderly, and the young. And I'm going to continue to fight until I can't fight no more. And that's why I'm a life fully paid member of the NAACP. And I am a member of other organization. I um miss Black Workers for Justice cuz that played a major role in helping me along the way. Um but back to the Rocky Mount city council uh uh city government financial issues. Now when Keith Rogers came Oh. Oh, let me back up. Uh when those guys voted unanimous with those guys, I told them I would never had done that. But because on these local talk shows um on WCR TV and WGV and and these uh racist ass citizens and uh um um um other shows uh I mean other social media sites, individuals and uh um um um fighting crime and all them folks that when I go on their page page and respond to them. It goes to show you I am a

professional political agitator because they end up blocking me. It be all of them against me and they can't handle it. They don't want the truth to be made known. You know them shirts I got, they don't want to hear them truth. The late great Reverend Walter Atkins uh uh used to say it during his uh uh preaching and I had me a shirt made. that I had made before he passed. But they don't want to hear them truth. So see, I can stand up against cuz see I'm talking facts cuz I'm the means. I know the players cuz I see them in action. So that's why I come I do I can do what I do. That's right. But I would never have voted unanimous knowing what I was up against. But no, they listen to the folk trying to be nice. But that didn't stop us because we went to work to do some research on Keith Rogers. And then some people contacted us and see Google is a bad boy. So got to Googling and found out just what this guy was all about. So hey, we start questioning. He wouldn't respond. Uh um every time we were questioning him, ask him for the full report. No, we kept asking him and he said he'll come back with the full report. He never did. So, we got the full report when the uh uh internal auditor, the state auditor, LGC, the new city manager, Elton Daniels and staff who had to come in and got to work hard to try to clean up this mess. And then on top of trying to clean up

some mess, got to put up with some mess from within the council and outside noise. But like I said, that noise is being created from the inside. And it's just sad at a time like this when the city about to damn go bankrupt. You still got folk playing games. Uh uh uh. And one of them keeping the noise is Charles Robinson knew on the council. I wish I just wish uh uh uh Richard Jonah had stayed on another term or um um what's his name? um the guy that ran against Charles and um take him to the runoff if he had won because the noise the unnecessary uh noise that he's keeping around the table are just damn pathetic and embarrassing. You have no clue what he talking about. And then the sad part is when the audit LGC, the city manager and others are talking and he come back with stupid damn questions and the same questions every me and boy all you need to do it appears that you're not going to vote in favor of what the city manager and staff presents and I don't know why in the hell you think you do not do the day-to-day operation. That's what the city manager and staff is hired to do to bring y'all the information how they think uh uh they can move forward. And you can either sign off on it or

don't. You got one vote. But ain't no way I would not be going along with what the city manager and the staff presents that they think is going to be best for the city. They are the ones that make that call. And so if it work or it don't work, it will fall back on them. But some folk just so ignorant they don't get it cuz they too busy keeping noise. But at the end of the day, you going to get it because uh the city is is is is um not far from bankruptcy. And somebody said another six months. You know, I thought it was bad. I I knew it was bad, but until the audit came out and uh and going to the meetings and the retreat and all that, it's really bad. Worse than I thought. Well, I saw last year when the city manager said uh Elton Daniel said that um uh they had they had what 30 million and that the staff had to get paid employees had to get paid uh uh three times in October. and it was going to go down to 8 million was all they were going to have. So, I didn't realize how bad it was. And then every meeting it comes uh it hit home. Um I just don't get it. But yes, I do. Because when some folk ain't never work a real job,

some folks living off the back to other folk, but trying to tell other folk what they need to do. And I'm going I'm going to move on. And already if I tell you what love, I'm going to move on and read some stuff and talk about that then I'mma get out of here because it pisses me off every day. keep getting information and uh and every meeting I go to, I keep seeing and hearing and and all that. I'm going to start out with uh the true rock and mount foolishness cuz he got Well, he ain't got me blocked this time. Uh um and he didn't have to Well, yeah, he had to block me because he don't want to hear what I got to say. Cuz when I told him that he want nobody going to vote for him when he ran for city council war three because he were too damn ignorant. He play too much and and when it comes to dealing with people livelihood, ain't nobody got time for no jokes and playing. I told him nobody going to vote for him. So he and his wife got mad that night on the talk show cuz he would be on my talk show one night and I'll be on his the next. And I was just using him. People talking about why you talk to that fool. But see, I was using him on his show and he were using me too cuz I helped him help people get to know who he was uh and everything. But he was saying some stuff that other people would not say. Uh uh so I used him to help me uh say some things. But uh the brother want to be like me so bad. Like I said the other day, he got to be laying beside his wife and calling my name at night cuz that's all he he he does every day. He got to he got to post about me. But he got to do that. Uh call

my name. Uh Andre name. Uh um we call Troy Davis name and Bronson Wheel name. Anybody name by the way he know other people know he got to post our names on his page do stories on us. If you read them they don't even make no damn sense. He calling somebody a clown but it don't even be making sense. Um but he got to use our names to get people to his page and also so he can get paid through YouTube and Facebook. Uh um let me read you what he said right here. Emergency call to action. Decrease Oh, somebody sent this to me, y'all. Uh uh decrease your utility usage. Demand LGC take over Rocky Mount. How damn stupid. Like I said, I was in uh LGC used to come and write regular and have me over in Princeville. And when they took the um uh the charter from Princeville, uh they didn't want to But they had no choice. [snorts] And then [clears throat] they told them that here in Roger Mount that was not an issue right now because they got qualified staff. The financial lady have worked with LGC and leading them and guiding them and that that I mean that in itself. And then you got foolishnesses like Charles Robinson uh uh uh No. But anyway, let me get back to True Rocky Mountain, the false Rocky Mount. Tim Barnes, same person uh call himself the true Rocky Mountain. And somebody brought to my attention the other day. Uh was he the same one that rserver on that van like he had cameras on on top of I forgot all about that. Yeah, same same one. The false Rocky Mount. Uh

um matter of fact, I remember when his mama moved here years ago cuz she came to work on my job years and years and years ago. So I remember when they moved here, she moved here. I don't know if he moved here at that time or not. Uh but I think she was from here but moved away and then come back. But uh false Rocky Mount Tim Barnes said the special call mean gave us some vital information that our utility payments drastically fund the city because of the city council's reckless spending which they continue to put the blame on the previous city manager alone. We are in a financial crisis and they want to raise our utility bills by 15%. Now how damn ignorant is that? What audit report said that the city council members was spending recklessly? The city manager, Keith Rogers, was the one spinning. Now, I guess you're talking about the landh talking about uh a casino. Well, I'm not going to come out and see it. But you want to keep noise, do your damn homework. Who? Find out who brought that to the table. Find out who brought that to the table. And then we're talking about the uh the um the uh event center. Um Charles Robertson questioning um Ruben Blackwell in a meeting the other week u about them he was fighting to uh frame the the event center here. Well sometimes you lose money until you make money or something of that capacity especially

when you got folk that don't want to see it and um want to see it fail anyway. Island said that they wanted to to um just credit Andre Knight and Ruben Blackwell over these years. So you come for them through the event center. But we was trying to get a they talking about no parking, but we was trying to get a parking deck in a hotel on side. Where in the hell y'all been at? See y'all here keeping noise. Why? Why you didn't come to the meeting demanding that they come on board and get a hotel and a parking space on the edge side, but now y'all coming out now being reactive instead of being proactive and talking about raising utility bills of 15%. Well, damn. Uh um you ain't talking about how many years that they were not in increase and because they had a fun balance. Uh that was one of the things Andre Knight fought against utilities and not going to keep repeating a whole lot of foolishness that because y'all ain't paying attention. You don't give a damn. You just listen to the noise cuz I done talked about it. They done talked about it. Andre talked about it. So you look at the means cuz you don't come and then you pick out bits and pieces cuz every mean Andre had to remind Charles Robertson that he served on the uh the Kemper and then went to Electric Cities meeting L up there. But um it was us Andre Knight during the 99 flood. We were meeting over there had set up over at uh his house on Falls Road. I was talking about he bought uh uh for the adult daycare that they fall against and end up losing a job. But we met over there uh took in um

applications to try to help people during that time. Had meetings about the light bills. That's when we found out about the uh folk were getting buzzed. The uh Fred turns and all them back in the day. They were getting uh uh they had buzz when it came to it. uh um the way they was buying the electric and uh it was in a contract or whatever you want to call it up until 2026 and Andre went in and fought um um for the utilities and I think it been out of it about two or three years now when supposed to came out of it this year. See y'all don't know the history but you follow the noise. Okay, back to the false Rocky Mount. He says, "So what we propose, who in the hell is we, is that the citizen of Rocky Mount cut down on your usage. So in effect, the funds they think they're going to get, they won't." Now, how damn stupid is that? The city about to go bankrupt and you tell them to cut down on their usage. And how are they supposed to do that? I bet you don't cut down on [clears throat] yours. I bet you pay your damn bills, but you telling other folks not to pay bills. Y'all keep on listening to the noise. Roger Mount has 30,000 utility customers. And if we just lower our usage by only $10 per household, that comes out to be 300,000 a month these clowns going to be getting from us. If y'all think that sound good, then try. But when the damn city go bankrupt, uh uh uh uh go talk to them. Go talk to the false Rocky Mountain. Now they estimate our utility bills will go up another $50 a month after this increase. So if we really tighten our belts and

lower our uses by $50 per household, their increase will be zero. What kind of damn foolishness is that? What we do want, we demand that the LGC take over Rocky Mountain. We have lost all faith in our city leaders and it's obvious don't work. Just crazy folk. You do not want the LGC to come in. Ask the folk over in Princeville and other places that uh LGC took over. But keep on listening to the noise. Like I said, I bet you he pay his utilities, but he tell you not to pay yours and the Lord and all that kind of. And then just today, I just got one from uh uh someone sent me this Crystal AW Anderson. Your voice is needed. And she just I get I know she going to be uh showing up out there now cuz she think she done something cuz she just got elected to the Edgecom County School Board. Um see we go way back. She come here [snorts] from Florida and uh um working down on um helping out with real Richard joiner at his farm give him something to do with her son. Um so she was talking about running. I met with her had not been to the coffee shop in Tboro. She told me at the coffee shop in T I sat down and talked to her and I told her, "You need to not run for anything. You need to come here." Like I told some others, Bronx when he came out, Aban Lane when he came out, but Aban don't need to run for nothing. Uh uh uh he switched parties too much. Um but um

um Crystal I thought she was at the border relation office that day to support Richard to find out she was up there to file a run against him. Now that just didn't make no damn sense. But um you know hey is what it is. Um, national ran again, this time lost and national teamed up with with Charles Robinson, but she did get on the school board. So, uh, uh, we'll see how that work out. Um, but let me go back to what she posted today. The city is considering raising utility rates by 15%. Oh, let me go back. and she had teamed up with the racist white folk that were coming to the city council meetings and stuff. So, I had no uh uh uh uh reason to to um support her for school board. Um I didn't do nothing to hurt her, but I damn sure won't helping her. And I told her that cuz I ain't got time for these folk out here that playing both sides or teaming up with folk that against us. I ain't got time for them. I don't get on Facebook and social media and talk about folk behind their back. I tell them to damn face what I got to tell them. I make sure they get it. And um but she said, "Here's the truth. Nearly 4,000 residents are already on payment plan. Okay. Ann, that's their damn problem. That ain't the city problem. You got to pay your damn bills. So what's your point? Families are still recovering from billing issues. Really? Okay.

And the state says this is a spending problem, not revenue. And the auditor is still investigating why you got multiple bills. I don't give a damn what the auditor is investigating. It is plain and simple. And see, that's why I got a problem with some folk serving in capacity. She take that foolishness to the school board. She gonna have another problem on the school board like got a problem on the rock city council with uh Charles Robinson. Um she said the state says this is a spending problem not revenue and the auditor is still investigating why you got multiple bills. A spending problem. Okay. It ain't a spending problem there cuz they ain't got no damn money. And what do you mean by a spending problem? Because we all know when they jack the damn locking police department starting salary up to 60,000 and we question how you going to do that when you have the police department don't make any money and you're talking about spending I mentioned that land a while ago. Who who who brought that to the table? Tell us who brought that. You know cuz you hang with him. You know who who brought it to the table. You hang with them cuz he's been good to y'all. Safe negroes. You know who I'm talking about. You know what? I I know what I know what I'm talking about. Yeah. Um uh um the chief, police chief got an increase. Then he got the hell up out of here. He knew his they were coming too. He got the hell up out of here. The fire

station. Yeah. I went to 11 million. Um, I went to the LGC meeting uh when they talked about that and and and the state treasurer Dale Farwell uh was trying to keep Rock from getting the fire station and uh um had not been for Secretary uh uh state representative um um what's Ela Marshall, they wouldn't have got it. But she said the people in Rocky Mount deserve a fire station. And then there some uh back background on the fire station. They didn't want that where it is. So they had to fight to keep it where it is now. Y'all need to learn your history. as some of these same folk like Crystal coming to the me, but she was so focused hanging out with the racist folk trying to discredit Andrea Rubin and Richard instead of out here now talking the facts team up with Charles Robinson [snorts] and the others. Um, you're not going to solve this with revenue. You must cut expensive. Well, every day there been said time and time again. But you you didn't come to the mean uh uh uh uh uh Monday. Was it Monday? No, no, no. What day was it? I want Monday. Was Wednesday to special mean this week. I wonder where you were, but I see you done come up here on Facebook with that foolishness repeating what y'all said and then uh um

see obviously you didn't look at the damn me because Ruben Blackwell responded to that and said he only read what he wanted to read and he read the other part to it. So again, see I got a problem when folks get on the boards and I'mma hold you accountable. Show you I know you. So don't bring that message to the school board means talking this foolishness. You see cuz you need to get on the board. See you need to be concentrating on the school board trying to learn what you need to learn over there and stop this foolishness right here. You said fix what's broken first. Fix what first? The town, the city ain't got no damn money. So that's what they trying to do. Put things in place so they have some money before the end of June and at the end of the year so they said they won't go damn bankrupt. So that's what they're trying to do. Fix the damn fix what's broken first. What the hell part? You don't understand, Crystal. Oh, I know why you don't understand. But you say if there's a if there's a leak in the system, you fix the leak. You don't raise the price of water. I hate uh phrases like that. What the hell is the leak? Fix what leak? The leak is the damn people that allowed the damn city manager to do what he did. I get so sick of y'all using words instead of that sound good that don't mean a damn thing. Talk facts. Talk specifics. Now, you want to talk about the leak? Let's talk about Let's put some damn

names with the leak and fix the leak. Well, two of them at least uh uh apologized and said they wish they had done something earlier. and see if it had did something earlier we wouldn't be in this problem. And I say we because I've been working at Rock for 39 years. Like I said, uh like fully paid member in Rock NAACP uh precinct chair at Edgecom County that covers all of Ecom County. Um um got family and friends in Rocky Mount that I speak for. And if I didn't, I'mma speak for because I'm for justice no matter who is for against and and and and um I'm gonna speak up and speak out. I don't have to damn live in Rocky Mount. I be all over the place. I go to uh Williamson every every second Saturday. Uh uh we meet down there or meet at another location that consists of 23 counties. Uh um I'm all over the place. NAACP statewide uh where the uh the Democratic Party statewide now just um uh um uh uh doing contract with uh the North Carolina Black Alliance and Advance Carolina. Uh so I'm going to be all over the state again. Um had not been doing a lot of moving around across the state because been taking care of my daddy for a couple of years. last couple of years, but now since he transitioned in September, hey, it's on and going to go to different means here in the county. Uh uh um and hold these folk accountable. Uh because it makes no sense that county

is predominantly black and black folk don't get involved. they get reactive when something happen instead of running for office and uh being at the table where you can make decisions. So, um, Monday 4:00, the Rocky Mountain City Council meets to vote on the, uh, uh, whatever the city manager and staff presents to the council. Let me go back. That damn crazy ass Charles Robinson gonna say that the lady that he read the stuff from uh uh uh from LGC about a spending problem. Again, I repeat, they're talking about she was in the room. Y'all got to look at the video. She was in the room. Okay. Um but but what tickles the hell out of me is Elton Daniels, the state the uh city manager was able to pull in the financial person that finance person that he has now that has worked with LGC and other entities that is playing a crucial role. They got the players in. They got the people in place to try to help get Rocky Mount out of this financial bind. And you still talking damn stupid. And there's some folk that I know that have talked to and like I said, I did a post. If you ain't on the saddle, right? If you call me and I don't pick up, it's because I ain't got nothing to say to you because I'm sick of you playing both sides and don't understand

that this is a dire problem. The city is about to go bankrupt and they got to put in place what they got to put in place and this mess about the utilities just so damn ridiculous when the utilities has not gone up in all these years and now they're going up and then um you know like I told somebody talking about older people if they got children most don't live with and and some of them don't live over here. If they got children, this is the time when the children need to step up to the plate and take care of their parents like their parents took care of them. This is the time where the church, the church, why I just got through playing this one, that one more powerful message. It's time for the church to start. They've been so damn quiet on this. Where the ministers at? Where the pastors at? Y'all take and you take your damn How about if you stop taking the money to the church and pay your damn bills and see what happens. Y'all better listen to the no. Stop listening to the noise because this is real. Who would ever thought Rocky Mountain would be on the edge of bankruptcy? I never seen it coming. I've been going to the meeting since the 80s, late 80s, but I've been videoing them since the the ' 90s. And then this noise,

the noise, the ignorance. You need to look at who keeping the noise, what kind of status they in. Cuz if you do your homework on some of these folk, you'll find out. Uh like Tim Bones, the false Rocky Mount uh uh call me a clown, you'll find out who the damn real clowns are. Y don't follow the clowns. I'm out here trying to to uh help, not hurt nobody. Now, uh it's sad that when you know folk trying to hurt you, you can't pick and choose who benefit from what you do. But see, I'm different from most folk cuz see, most folk, they talk that noise uh uh behind your back and behind the scene. But see, if I got to stand by myself, I'm gonna speak it. See, I got no problem with that. And I have no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interest. And that is what's good for the people. I have I stated years ago that I want to help make Edgecom County a better place to live, work, and play. And I am going to continue to do that until I can't do it any more. And if you got a problem with that, then you that's a you problem cuz I ain't mad with nobody. I'm going tell you what I got to tell you. I'm gonna keep moving cuz I ain't got time. And the older I get, got time for no foolishness.

So if you about foolishness, don't come. Don't talk to me cuz right now all I want to see is Rocky Mount like Ruben Blackwell said get stable. Tom Harris reiterated. That's all I want to see. And that means calling out folk because I know the story. It is documented. So prove me the hell wrong. anything I said today, yesterday, and tomorrow, and the days after cuz I stand to be corrected. But see, I'm not emotional on uh uh uh uh on my opinions. My opinions are not based on uh uh emotions. My opinions are based on the facts as been presented. So whenever you can prove me wrong, then break it. But until then, I ain't the one. So don't come to me with no foolishness cuz see I told y'all I cuss. Cuz sometimes folk just don't get it. I ain't cussing at you. I just cussing. I know folk don't get it. That's right. 11:23. So, I got to get ready to get out of here. Got to get out of here. I tell you, I had a long day. Worked last night for a couple hours. Came home up. Uh when I come home, my water had given out. Got up this morning, went to the Democratic Party meeting. That's

another story for another day. Right now my main focus is Rocky Mountain City Council. Had to um been working on my water since [snorts]

uh this evening to about 5:30 this afternoon. Spend that money. But it's well worth it. Um just ain't got time for a bunch of foolers, y'all. Don't come my way with no foolers. I put in too much uh time. Um so come out with no foolishness where uh some people let it go. But this is about people livelihoods and people know I don't play when it come to people livelihoods. I don't go to these meetings be at work, church, in the community. When I'm in a meeting, we dealing with people livelihoods. I'm in there for that. I ain't in there for no joking. Ain't in there for no foolishness. So, what you get here is what you get when I'm in church, uh, in conference meeting, uh, uh, or wherever we're dealing with people livelihoods. So, I'mma let this lady with this powerful message take us out. I may come back on tomorrow, but I doubt it. But I will be on Monday evening uh um at the uh Rocky Mount City Council meeting cuz I want to be there and I like to be there so I can see the reaction on folk fakes. That tells a whole lot of story, too. Uh uh I can't see it on this the um city page, but I damn sure can see it on the DCN iPad cuz I scan the room so I can see who's there facial expression and sometimes pick up

the noise that you're sitting out there talking about. But um thank you for tuning in to the DC smoke live and I'm going to uh let uh uh this message uh take us out. Let me see. Can I get I'm going to let this message take us out and um and uh call it a night. Okay, let me get the volume here. ways of being and doing. The psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. In a world of fake news that's anaphylactic, a burst to the truth. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders, decimating democracy one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time where all levers of government have been pumped and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you we need leaders that have a resilient resolve. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning. In times like these, but 319,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings. And where an allout war is being waged on institutions of higher learning where academic freedoms are vanishing and anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve

in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. We need the church to stand UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND THE blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is the church if the church shouts on Sunday MORNING BUT DOES NOT TAKE ISSUE WITH failing students Monday through Friday? What good is the CHURCH IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CUTS SNAP BENEFITS and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is the church?

If ICE CAN BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE WITH NO LEGAL ORDER AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO take it in a world of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing. The reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. [snorts] But in a world of fake news that's anaphylactic averse to the truth. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders, decimating democracy, one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time, where all levers of government have been pumped and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you, we need leaders that have a resilient result. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning. In times like these, where 319,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings and where an allout war is being waged on institutions of higher learning. where academic freedoms are vanishing and anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve

in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. WE NEED THE CHURCH TO STAND UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND THE blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is the church if the church shouts ON SUNDAY MORNING BUT DOES NOT TAKE ISSUE with failing students Monday through Friday? What good is the church if the church does NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CUTS SNAP BENEFITS and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is the church?

IF ICE CAN BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE WITH NO LEGAL order and you're supposed to take it, my my my y'all have a good night. But I do want to say my resources. I got this message tonight before I start the show. My my my. Y'all have a good night.