— Whatever cooling-off period existed in Martinsville politics apparently expired on Facebook.
Martinsville Mayor L.C. Jones took direct aim at city resident Patti Covington in a sharply worded Facebook post, attaching a post from Covington and responding with accusations involving what he characterized as lies, political influence, privilege and attempts by a small group of residents to control decisions in the city.
Jones opened with four words that made the direction of the post fairly obvious:
“And here we go again.”
From there, subtlety packed its bags and left town.
Jones accused the group he associates with Covington of previously fabricating documents containing what he called “lies and false narratives.” He also alleged the group used political relationships in connection with a court petition and accused it of attempting to exert outsized influence over city affairs.
Those are Jones' allegations, and Star News has not independently established them as fact.
Jones then broadened his criticism beyond the dispute with Covington, arguing that a small group associated with the Mulberry area should not be able to dictate decisions affecting the rest of Martinsville.
The mayor specifically referenced disputes over who can open businesses, who can hold events and where people can live, framing the fight as one involving equal access and influence within the city.
Then came the line likely to generate considerably more discussion than your average Sunday Facebook post.
Jones referred to the group as a “Jim Crow posse.”
“Enough is enough,” Jones wrote, arguing that every Martinsville resident deserves equal respect and access to opportunities, resources and education regardless of where they live.
Jones also referenced $30,000 allegedly being spent to spread what he described as additional falsehoods. The mayor did not substantiate that figure in the text of the post provided to Star News.
He concluded by saying he would not back down and would continue “putting the people over politics.”
Original Facebook source: Open post
Source note: Star News TV · Sep 28, 2026 10:04 PM.
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