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Sunday | May 31, 2020

DA: Public should know why AG dropped

manslaughter charge in Boykin case
Colom announced plans
to request AG’s office turn
over evidence in Ricky
Ball shooting so he can
present it to public
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
ialtman@cdispatch.com
District Attorney Scott Colom criti-
cized the timing and method of Attorney
General Lynn Fitch’s decision to dismiss
charges against a former Columbus po-
lice officer who fatally shot an African
American man during a traffic stop in
2015 and said he plans to ask her office
to release the evidence they have in the
case so the public can see for themselves
District Attorney Scott
Colom speaks during
that justice had been served. a press conference at
Lowndes County Court-
Fitch’s office released a brief state-
ment Thursday announcing it had dis-
house on Friday morning
about Attorney General
missed the manslaughter charge against
Canyon Boykin, 30, in the Oct. 16, 2015,
Lynn Fitch’s decision to
dismiss charges against
death of 26-year-old Ricky Ball in North
Columbus. Colom said he first learned of
former Columbus police
officer Canyon Boykin,
the dismissal from “local activists” and who was indicted for
then received confirmation from an AG’s manslaughter after the
Office spokesperson the same day the 2015 shooting of Ricky
statement was released. Ball during a traffic stop
in North Columbus.
Boykin, who is white, has claimed
Ward 4 Columbus Coun-
Ball pointed a weapon at him and that cilman Pierre Beard,
he shot in self-defense. However, neither left, and Columbus Po-
Boykin nor the other two officers who lice Chief Fred Shelton
initiated the traffic stop turned on their listen.
See COLOM, 4A Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff

Area Chambers,
Demonstrators gather peacefully in front MSAs bolster
online resources
of Leigh Mall in light of Ball decision to help small
Organizer: ‘I believe a man was murdered in cold blood. businesses
If it’s murder, there should be justice’ through pandemic
Assistance ranges
from guidelines on
reopening safely to
applying for state,
federal money
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com

The restaurant was packed.

A crowd of roughly 250 people, some standing in a loose circle and others listening from their cars, gathered near the
main entrance at Leigh Mall Saturday to protest the Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s decision to drop the manslaughter
charge against former Columbus Police Department officer Canyon Boykin in the 2015 shooting death of Ricky Ball.
BY SLIM SMITH
ssmith@dispatch.com
When David Horton heard the
news Thursday that the Mississippi
Attorney General’s Office had dis-
missed the manslaughter charge
against former Columbus Police
Department officer Canyon Boykin
in the 2015 shooting death of Ricky
Ball, he started driving.
Horton, 29, grew up in Columbus
and moved to Atlanta three years
ago to pursue his music career. On
the trip back to his hometown, he de-
cided to stage a protest at Leigh Mall
on Saturday morning and spread the
word on his Facebook page with no
idea what the turnout might be.
“That part was up to God,” he
said.
In the early stages of the
COVID-19 pandemic, Ray Hamil-
ton, owner of Anthony’s Good Food
Market in West Point, took stock of
the chock-full dining room and re-
alized it couldn’t last.
Aware that such crowds could be
a problem for older patrons, Ham-
ilton decided to close the popular
Main Street restaurant March 15, a
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
week before Mississippi Gov. Tate
Reeves mandated the closure of
dining rooms statewide.
In the weeks since, as Hamilton
worked to reopen safely, he turned
‘It’s time for some real change to happen. We have to West Point/Clay County Growth
Alliance for assistance. Growth
a lot of things going on in our city. This is the right Alliance Director Lisa Klutts an-
swered Hamilton’s questions on
time, the right opportunity to come and voice our government regulations, safety
codes, contacts and resources from
opinion without causing any type of disruption.’ the federal Small Business Admin-
Arthur Harris, protester istration and gave him, information
about the SBA’s Paycheck Protec-
Saturday, from 10 a.m. until Mall, Horton took the microphone tion Program, which offers forgiv-
12:45 p.m., Horton — who identified to express their feeling before a able loans to businesses hit hard by
himself only as “just a man with a crowd that has swelled to about 250, the pandemic.
microphone” — invited protesters some standing in a loose circle, oth- “They’ve definitely been very
to peacefully express their feelings ers listening from their cars. supportive in helping us access re-
not only about the handling of the For Horton, whose grandmother sources to get a little government
Ricky Ball case but the rash of oth- lives on the Northside street where help during this time,” Hamilton
er violent and unprovoked deaths Ball died, the Ball case weighed said of the Growth Alliance.
of black men that sparked protests heavy on his mind and prompted He said the organization’s sup-
across the country. him to organize the protest. port of local businesses like Antho-
Near the main entrance of Leigh See PROTEST, 5A ny’s — and Magnolia’s at the Ritz,
which Hamilton owns but which
See BUSINESSES, 3A

WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC

1 Which mustached artist designed the logo for MEETINGS
a popular Spanish lollipop called Chupa Chups, a June 1: Lowndes
branding that has lasted almost 50 years? County Board of
2 In Ernest Hemingway’s masterpiece “The Old Man Supervisors, 9 a.m.,
and the Sea” what kind of big game fish did the County Courthouse
angler hook?
3 What post-meal mainstay of Chinese-American June 1: West Point
restaurants originated in Japan? Board of Supervisors,
George Bocks
4 On which continent can you find a capital city with 9 a.m., Courthouse
Fifth grade, Annunciation
the most French-speaking people outside of Paris — June 2: Columbus

High 85 Low 60
Sunny
over 9 million?
5 Which “Field of Dreams” actor, known for his deep
bass voice, spend most of his childhood silent be-
City Council, 5 p.m.,
Municipal Complex,
cause he had a bad stutter? stream live at face-
Full forecast on Answers, 5B book.com/CityofCo-
page 3A.
lumbusMS/
June 4: West Point
INSIDE Board of Supervisors,
Classifieds 4,5B Lifestyles 1B 9 a.m. Courthouse
Comics 7,8B Obituaries 4A June 9: West Point
Crossword 5B Opinions 6A Kimberly Watts and her 3-month-old Board of Selectmen,
141st Year, No. 68 Dear Abby 6B Sports 7A daughter, Kinsley, live in Starkville. 5:30 p.m. City Hall

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2A SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

ASK RUFUS

Early Roads
T
he last a road that is now the location of ern end and complete post office was estab-
several basically fol- the Tombigbee bridge in the road. On May 17, lished in 1820 there
weeks lowed the “Big Columbus. 1820 Jackson wrote the would have only been two
I have spent Trading Path.” Construction of the Secretary of War that the post roads, which were
many days This road up Military Road was by road was open. It became the principal highways
walking and the Tombig- troops from the 1st and one of the most important of the time. They were
enjoying bee became 8th U.S. Army regiments roads of its time but its the Military Road and
the almost known as the and by a detachment of days were short-lived. By what became known
five miles of St. Stephens the Corps of Artillery. the mid-1830s it was all as the Upper Tuscaloo-
trails through Trace. By spring 1820 the but abandoned south of sa-Columbus Road. That
woods and The St. Ste- road was nearing comple- Columbus, though its use road also went to Marion
sloughs at phens Trace is tion. However, there were north of Columbus con- Courthouse, which was
MUW’s Plym- Rufus Ward a little known, some delays in construc- tinued. Today it survives the county seat of Marion
outh Bluff but very tion toward its southern as Military Road in Co- County, Alabama. It was
Center. historic road end. In response, Jack- lumbus and Highway 12 at the site of present-day
Cherokee Roses and that once ran from John son on March 20, 1820, north and on into north- Columbus Air Force
Yaupon Holly in the Pitchlynn’s residence at Courtesy image/Billups-Garth Archives, ordered Col. Zachary west Alabama as sections Base. The settlement
woods mark old sites of the present site of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library
Taylor to take command of various highways. soon over across the But-
The old roads that once
human habitation and John Stennis (Columbus)
crossed the Golden Trian- of the troops at the south- When the Columbus See ASK RUFUS, 3A
there is evidence of old Lock and Dam to St. Ste- gle are shown on this map
roads. North of the center phens, which is about 50 published in 1839. Also
on the West Bank Access miles north of Mobile. It shown as shaded areas
Road there is a historic evolved from an existing are prairies.
marker placed by the Indian trail and was the
state and national Society first important north- was then the Southwest-
Daughters of the Ameri- south road in what is now ern United States.
can Colonist. east Mississippi and west On April 27, 1816, Con-
The marker reads, in Alabama. In October gress approved the road
part: 1814, Gen. John Coffee and authorized its con-
PLYMOUTH “Frontier led 3,000 Tennessee struction. As commander
crossroads on Tombig- Militia south to reinforce of the Military Division of
bee River at intersection Jackson at Mobile prior the South, Jackson direct-
of (1) Big Trading Path to the fighting at New ed its construction. Capt.
(later Gaines Trace) Orleans. Hugh Young completed
connecting Chickasaws Coffee’s route took the survey of the Military
to the north with Choc- him down the Natchez Road in June 1817 and in
taws, St. Stephens and Trace to the Chickasaw September sent a report
Mobile to the south and villages (Tupelo), and and map of the route to
(2) east-west trail that the from there down Gaines Jackson. He described
Creeks used to reach the Old Trace to Pitchlynn’s. to Jackson in a letter
Mississippi River …” On Oct. 14, 1814, Coffee dated Sept. 14, 1817, the
The reason for the wrote Jackson from Pitch- place of crossing the
settlement of Columbus lynn’s that he expected Tombigbee River; “From
in 1817 and its growth to find better roads from Noxubee the road runs
into an organized town in “Peachland’s” to Fort with St. Stephen’s trace to
1819 was its importance Stoddard than he had a point 7 miles from the
as the Tombigbee Ferry found from Tennessee to Tombigby; being, for that
crossing on Andrew “Peachland’s.” The better distance, the best route in
Jackson’s Military Road road he referred to was the direction of the places
that connected Nashville the St. Stephens Trace. on the River, which I
to New Orleans. With Present-day U.S. High- had chosen for a ferry.”
last year having been the way 45 south between That Military Ferry site
bicentennial of Columbus Columbus and Meridian
officially being recog- roughly follows the route
nized as a town and this of the St. Stephens Trace.
past March being the After the Battle of New
bicentennial of establish- Orleans, Andrew Jackson
ment of the Columbus realized the need for a
Post Office, the Plymouth better route between
historic marker got me Nashville and New Orle-
thinking about the early ans and petitioned con-
roads in the area. gress for its construction.
The earliest mention of He considered the road
a local road I have found necessary for the growth
was the 1811 mention of and protection of what

Businesses
Continued from Page 1A
remains closed — saves
him a lot of time.
“That’s something I
don’t have much of,” Ham-
ilton said. “It’s very much
appreciated.”
Klutts, who describes
the Growth Alliance as
a “voice” for business in
West Point, isn’t alone in
the region in her efforts to
help local business own-
ers navigate COVID-19.
In Columbus and
Starkville, too, business
advocacy organizations
have adapted to changing
circumstances due to the
virus in order to serve lo-
cal companies when they
need it most.
“Start to finish, the
chamber has been a busi-
ness advocate during
this,” Columbus-Lowndes
Chamber of Commerce
President Lisa James
said. “Our chamber has
been with everybody ev-
ery step of the way.”
Information is key
A large red button in
the top right of the Co-
lumbus-Lowndes cham-
ber’s website labeled
“COVID-19 Resources”
is just the first sign that
James and her organiza-
tion are making an effort
to share as much informa-
tion about the pandemic
as they can.
The chamber’s
COVID-19 Business Tool-
kit offers resources for
small businesses — links
to information on PPP
loans and SBA disaster
assistance — updates on
the status of the virus and
a reopening guide com-
piled from other cham-
bers in the area, including
Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Typically, the
twice-monthly “Cham-
ber Chatter” newsletter
includes a space for ad-
vertising at the bottom;
now, in the organiza-
tion’s weekly COVID-19-
themed emails, business
owners can update fellow
members on what they’re
doing during the pandem-
ic: whether they’re avail-
able for call-in orders,
or whether they take ap-
pointments via Zoom.
James said the open
rate on the emails is up 25
to 30 percent, a sign busi-
ness owners are interest-
ed in taking advantage of
all the information avail-
able to them.
She has also made
infographics breaking
down how to apply for
PPP funding or the fed-
eral Economic Injury Di-
Ask Rufus
Continued from Page 2A
tahatchie and was named
Hamilton. The Upper
Tuscaloosa Road survives
as Highway 50 East and
Waterworks Road and its
northern route to Hamil-
ton is Third Street North
and Old Aberdeen Road.
In 1823 the post
road to Tuscaloosa was
changed to the Pickens-
ville Road. The route of
that road across pres-
ent-day Columbus is
evidenced by the offset
streets between the river
and MUW where the
street grid was adjust-
ed to account for the
existing road. Another
important early road was
the Robinson Road from
Columbus to Jackson.
On Aug. 8, 1821, the
Mississippi State Ga-
zette announced that
“the War Department
(would) receive proposals
for OPENING A ROAD
from Turner Brashears’
old Stand, on the road
leading from Natchez to
Nashville, to a point near
Columbus, on Tombigby.
The road will be required
to be well opened, twelve
feet wide, good substan-
tial bridges to be placed
over the water courses,
and the swamps cause-
wayed.” Much of this road
still exist in Lowndes
County being Motley,
Mims and Guerry Roads
between Columbus and
Artesia.
In the 1820s there
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Klutts James Tagert Bigelow
saster Loan Emergency app has become her clos-
Advance, as too much est friend during the pan-
text in one place can be demic.
“overwhelming.” The organization’s of-
“That was a better way fice is closed four days a
for the chamber member- week, only opening Fri-
ship to know what their days when Bigelow and
options were,” James said. a co-worker hand out the
Greater Starkville De- t-shirts and car decals
velopment Partnership that Main Street Colum-
Executive Director Mike bus has been selling, with
Tagert said the organi- 50 percent of proceeds
zation is providing simi- going toward the organi-
lar resources for federal zation’s Downtown Relief
stimulus aid, including Fund.
worksheets for business “It is gratifying to see
owners to calculate the that folks want to support
amount of money they our local, downtown busi-
could be eligible to re- nesses and we appreciate
ceive. The organization
also alerted members to
those who have already
shown their support, but
the new Back to Business we do hope others who
Mississippi Grant Pro- may not have been aware
gram, which will begin of the fundraiser will join
this week and offers up to us in supporting what we
$25,000 in grants through consider the ‘heart’ of our
the Mississippi Devel- community,” Bigelow said
opment Authority and a in an email Saturday.
$2,000 direct payment as She said the fundrais-
part of an assistance pro- er will end June 8 and that
gram. she will work with three
Tagert said he wants downtown business own-
the Partnership to be a ers to determine how to
place business owners allocate the funds.
can go whenever they For Bigelow, virtual
need help, have questions communication has been
or need clarification. critical — contacting
“We immediately re- members by phone, shar-
alized we needed to be a ing short videos on how
source of information for to re-open businesses and
our small businesses,” he daily use of email blasts
said. and social media.
Like James, Tagert Bigelow also praised
is trying to package the business owners who
information and make it turned to other means to
convenient. And the re- inform the public during
sources he’s compiled closures caused by the
aren’t unique to Partner- pandemic.
ship members — they’re “We were so proud of
for everyone. our downtown merchants
“We’re just trying to who were able to use the
make sure that all the internet to continue their
information we have is business and keep their
available not only to our name in the public’s eye
members but the gener- during their closings,” Bi-
al public as well,” Tagert gelow said.
said. That’s something that
It’s a similar theme Tagert has tried to empha-
across the Golden Tri- size in Starkville as well.
angle. The resources He said the Partnership is
on the Columbus cham- an advocate for physical,
ber’s website are public, “brick-and-mortar” busi-
and Klutts also stressed nesses, but he knows that
that the information she first and foremost during
has been providing is for the pandemic is survival
members and non-mem- in whatever form is pos-
bers alike. sible.
If businesses can sur-
A ‘digital leap’ vive while operating pri-
Barbara Bigelow, ex- marily online, “that just
ecutive director of Main makes their business all
Street Columbus, said the the more healthy and able
Zoom video conferencing to adapt,” he said.
were many other roads road is basically Plym-
constructed as the region outh Road and Old West
was settled first east of Point Road.
the River and then after One road which was
the Treaty of Dancing constructed in 1831
Rabbit Creek in 1830, in but was only used a few
the Choctaw homelands. years was the Indian
East of the Tombigbee Emigration Road. It is the
Wolf Road c. 1820 is one original Choctaw Trail of
of the oldest local roads. Tears and now is barely
West of the River by 1822 visible in a few places,
there was a road to the lost in woods between
Mayhew Mission. That Starkville and Line
SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 3A
It’s why Tagert is help-
ing the Partnership make
a “digital leap” and em-
phasizing the same for its
members. While his orga-
nization has redoubled its
social media efforts and
focused on digital com-
munication, he’s trying to
help local businesses to
the same — particularly
retail operations empha-
sizing online sales.
In Columbus, too, a
growing emphasis on
virtual delivery has been Yue Stella Yu/Dispatch Staff
made within the chamber. Merle Norman & Luna Bella at Cotton Crossing in
Starkville was mandated to shut down for about two
Youth and adult lead- weeks but has been open for a month now. Owner
ership classes as well Alaina Prentice said she has been encouraging other
as a luncheon with state people in the community to shop at local businesses
legislators are all online. like hers during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re their
The chamber will also friends,” Prentice said. “We’re their neighbors. We grew
offer weekly networking up together.”
luncheons via Zoom for
members on Mondays in was down 31 percent in out just before the pan-
June. March, and though not demic really hit in March,
having to spend money and Klutts said she hasn’t
on future events some- pressed her members to
Concerns linger what evens things out, the pay, knowing they need
for business owners situation isn’t easy for the the money to keep their
As the chair of the nonprofit. businesses alive.
Partnership’s Main Street Invoices for Growth Al- “We’re struggling
Association, Alaina Pren- liance member dues went here, too,” Klutts said.
tice of Starkville always
implores community
members to shop at local
businesses.
“We’re their friends.
We’re their neighbors.
We grew up together,”
she said. “... For us to stay
here, we’ve gotta have
that continued local sup-
port.”
Prentice, owner of
Merle Norman & Luna
Bella at Cotton Crossing,
said she and fellow local
business owners always
come together to boost
each other’s posts on so-
cial media, via likes and
comments, to earn atten-
tion that could buoy the
businesses in a time of
need.
“It’s just about sup-
porting local business-
es, shopping local and
showing that love for our
sisters and brothers that
are in the same boat that
we’re in,” she said.
But Prentice knows
that concerns remain
for her compatriots in
Starkville. Many busi-
nesses depend on Mis-
sissippi State students,
and others rely heavily
on tourism, so whether
football will be played at
Davis Wade Stadium this
fall (and whether fans can
attend) is a critical ques-
tion.
“We’re a tourism town,
and with no tourism, it’s
really hard,” Prentice
said.
In West Point, Klutts
is facing the same issues.
The city’s tourism tax
Creek.
Rufus Ward is a local
historian.
SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates
peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Sun. Mon.
Major
Minor
8:12p
3:11p
9:03p
4:18p
Major 8:37a 9:28a
Minor 3:09a 3:45a
Courtesy of Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
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4A SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Colom
Continued from Page 1A
body cameras. Investigators lat-
er found a weapon at the scene
that had been reported stolen
from another police officer who
responded to the scene after the
shooting.
In a press conference Friday
morning at Lowndes County
Courthouse, Colom said given
the national climate — riots in
Minnesota over the death of
George Floyd, an African Amer-
ican man who died Monday after
a white police officer knelt on
his neck for minutes, along with
public outrage over the deaths of
several other African Americans
killed by white law enforcement
officers or citizens around the
country — he would have rec-
ommended the AG’s Office not
dismiss the charge at this time,
since Boykin is out of jail on
bond.
He added he also would have
asked prosecutors make their ev-
idence and reason for dismissal
known to the public, saying “we
deserve more than a two-para-
graph press release.”
“The problem with that is it’s
done in the dark,” Colom said.
“So now people don’t even know
what the reason is that you dis-
missed the case. They don’t get a
chance to examine the evidence
for themselves, they don’t get a
chance to make their own deci-
sion about whether this was an
independent judgment, whether
it was based on the facts of the
law.”
He emphasized he is not criti-
cal of Fitch’s decision to dismiss
the case and that evidence may
show prosecutors at the AG’s
Office had an ethical reason for
doing so. However, since the
case never went before a jury and
since it was not dismissed in a
public hearing, the public does
not know that for sure.
Colom said he hopes to re-
ceive a response from Fitch’s of-
fice as soon as possible and that
when he receives the evidence in
the case, he will make it public.
He added he does not know of
a legal reason why the evidence
will not be released now that the
case has been dismissed.
AG’s Office responds
The AG’s Director of Commu-
nications Ray Coleman told The
Dispatch in an emailed state-
ment that prosecutors informed
Colom, Boykin’s attorney, Ball’s
family and Lowndes County
Sheriff Eddie Hawkins of the
decision to drop the charges be-
fore filing with Lowndes County
Circuit Court. (One of Boykin’s
attorneys, Jim Waide of Tupelo,
previously told The Dispatch he
learned of the dismissal from the
media but that Boykin’s other at-
torney, Jeff Reynolds of Jackson,
had been in touch with prosecu-
tors at the AG’s Office.)
“We understand that the DA
indicated in his press confer-
ence that he will be writing the
Attorney General and we look
forward to receiving his request
and working with him to get him
what he needs,” Coleman said in
the email.
His email did not answer
questions The Dispatch asked
about why the charge against
Boykin had been dismissed or
whether the case is dismissed
with prejudice — meaning Boy-
kin cannot legally be charged in
the case again — or without prej-
udice, meaning the case could go
before a grand jury again if inves-
tigators uncover new evidence.
Waide previously told The
Dispatch prosecutors never
had any evidence to contradict
Boykin’s claim that he shot Ball
in self-defense and that Boykin
was indicted because of kill-
ings like that of George Floyd
in Minnesota.
“It’s troubling to see this
situation in Minnesota, which
just about beats anything I ever
saw,” he said. “But it’s small
wonder to me that officers get
indicted, given what the com-
munity can see is happening to
various black people. … Can-
yon was a victim of it all.”
‘A gut punch’
A Lowndes County grand
jury indicted Boykin for man-
slaughter, and he was served
the indictment in September
2016, about three months after
Colom had announced he was
turning the investigation over
to the AG’s Office, then under
the direction of Jim Hood.
Colom said at Friday’s press
conference that he had met
with Hood’s prosecutors prior
to turning the case over to them
and that he trusted they would
follow the evidence. However,
those prosecutors are no lon-
ger with the AG’s Office since
newly elected Fitch took over in
January.
“The defendant’s been try-
ing to dismiss this case since
the beginning,” Colom said.
“They asked the judge to dis-
miss this case several times,
and the previous AG’s Office
fought it, and the judge kept
denying it, and then we get to
this point where the case is dis-
missed by agreement.”
He said many people he had
talked to in the community, in-
cluding Ball’s family, were up-
set about the news.
“I thought the best way some-
body put it to me is they felt like
it was a gut punch to their stom-
ach,” Colom said. “They don’t
know why it’s a two-paragraph
press release, no explanation as
to why after four years, you’ve
had the case for four or five
months and you’ve reached a
different decision.”
One of Ball’s family mem-
bers, his cousin Latoya Jones,
said she learned of Fitch’s deci-
sion Thursday evening.
“It was heartbreaking, even
though our family trusts that it’s
not over,” she told The Dispatch
during a two-hour demonstra-
tion held outside Leigh Mall on
Saturday. “... It was really hurt-
ful that (the AG’s Office) would
take that route and not inform
the family, but at the same time
we keep trusting God that he’s
going to have the final say and
turn everything around and
that justice will prevail.”
‘A roadblock’ to building
trust in community
Columbus Police Chief Fred
Shelton, who was assistant
chief at the time of Ball’s shoot-
ing, attended Colom’s press
conference Friday. He told The
Dispatch afterward that his
department has been trying to
rebuild trust between officers
and the community over the
last few years.
“We’re going to continue to
earn and regain the people’s
trust, and we see this as a road-
block to that,” he told The Dis-
patch. “... We want them to un-
derstand that they can trust us,
and we’re going to do our jobs.
We’ll present the evidence in
the cases to proper authorities,
and then we’re going to follow
the legal process.”
He said he met with CPD’s
command staff Thursday eve-
ning and formed an emergency
response plan in case of public
unrest in the wake of the AG’s
decision and said they would
“monitor the situation.” He has
delegated one officer to just
monitor social media.
Shelton said he did not plan
to have extra police presence
in the area near 21st Street and
14th Avenue North, where Ball
was shot. He did have extra offi-
cers patrolling the city, he said,
including command staff, but
that has been a regular occur-
rence since the COVID-19 pan-
demic began.
As of press time Saturday,
there had not been any instance
of retaliatory violence relat-
ed to the news of the dropped
charges. So far, the only mass
demonstration had been Satur-
day’s peaceful protest outside
the mall.
Shelton said given the na-
tional climate, he wanted his
officers to be prepared and pro-
tected.
“There’s a great concern for
law enforcement officers and
our safety when dealing with
the public,” he said. “We want
the public to trust us. … If the
public feels like if an officer
does something they’re not go-
ing to be prosecuted, … then
how can people trust you? So
I’m asking people to support us
and trust us, but that has to go
both ways.”
Dispatch reporter Slim Smith
contributed to this report.

Eddie Jenkins
NOXUBEE COUN-
TY — Eddie Jenkins,
78, died May 24, 2020,
at his residence.
A private family
graveside service was
at 11 a.m. Saturday,
in Old Shiloh MBC
Cemetery, with Johnnie
Earl Jenkins officiating.
Visitation was from 2-5
p.m. Friday, at Carter’s
Funeral Services. Car-
ter’s Funeral Services
of Macon was in charge
of arrangements.
Mr. Jenkins was born
June 4, 1941, in Noxu-
bee County, to the late
Eddie Jenkins and Cora
Lee Jenkins. He was
formerly employed with
Row Boat Landfield.
He is survived by his
wife, Gladys Mae Jen-
kins; children, Juanita
Bennamon of Dekalb,
Dorothy Horsely of
Jacksonville, Florida,
Terry Jenkins of Geor-
gia, Linda Ramsey,
Gladys Bryant, Eddie
Earl Jenkins, Johnnie
Earl Jenkins, Sharin
Jenkins, Anthony
Jenkins and Makeshia
Jenkins all of Shuqual-
ak; brother, Franklin
Jenkis of Philadelphia;
28 grandchildren; and
21 great-grandchildren.
Jimmie Thomas
COLUMBUS — Jim-
mie Clyde Thomas, 68,
died May
25, 2020.
Grave-
side
services
will be at
11 a.m.
Tuesday, in
Trinity/Mt. Thomas
Caramel
CME Church. Visitation
will be from noon-5 p.m.
Monday, at Lee-Sykes
Funeral Home. Lee-
Sykes Funeral Home of
Columbus is in charge
of arrangements.
Mrs. Thomas was
born April 25, 1952, in
Lowndes County, to the
late Christopher and
Carrie Thomas. She
was a member of Trinity
C.M.E. Church.
In addition to her par-
ents, she was preceded
in death by her siblings,
Mary Emma Poindex-
AREA OBITUARIES
ter, Mildred Thomas,
J.D. Carzell, Walter C.
and Eddie Dean Thom-
as.
She is survived by
her siblings, Rev. Gus
Thomas, rev. Albert
Thomas, Ben Thomas,
Sam Thomas and Hen-
ry Thomas.
Michael Jones
COLUMBUS —
Michael V. Jones, 45,
passed
away.
Grave-
side ser-
vices will
be at 2 p.m.
Tuesday, in
Memorial
Jones
Gardens
Ceme-
tery. Visitation will
be from noon-6 p.m.
Monday at Lee-Sykes
Funeral Home. Lee-
Sykes Funeral Home of
Columbus is in charge
of arrangements.
Mr. Jones was born
Dec. 11, 1974, to Lester
Jones and the late Patri-
cia Ann Jones. He was
a graduate of Columbus
High School and Missis-
sippi State University.
In addition to his
father, he is survived by
his wife, Bethie Jones;
children, Taytiyona
Tatum and Immanuel
Jones; and siblings,
Christopher Jones,
Lester Jr Jones, Chanda
Burns, Joseph Jones,
Tasha Swoope and
Keisha Jones.
Kenneth Pate Sr.
COLUMBUS — Ken-
neth Earl Pate Sr., 54,
died May 30, 2020, at
his residence.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Lown-
des Funeral Home of
Columbus.
Sue Lackey Home chapel, with
CALEDONIA — Terry Robinson of-
Sue Lackey, 63, died ficiating. Burial will
May 29, 2020, at North follow in Walnut Grove.
Mississippi Medical Visitation was from 6-8
Center of Tupelo. p.m. Saturday. Chan-
Funeral services dler Funeral Home of
will be at 2 p.m. Mon- Vernon is in charge of
day, at Antioch Baptist arrangements.
Church, with Mitch Mr. Guess was born
McWilliams officiating. Sept. 9, 1942, in Marion
Burial will follow in County, Alabama, to the
Blooming Grove Cem- late William Ross and
etery in Lamar County, Hassie Rogers Guess.
Alabama. Visitation is In addition to his par-
from 6-8 p.m. today, at
ents, he was preceded
Otts Funeral Home.
in death by his sister,
Otts Funeral Home of
Sulligent is in charge of Doris Guess.
arrangements. He is survived by his
Mrs. Lackey was siblings, Frances Rick-
born April 14, 1957, in man and Robert Guess.
Pallbearers will be
Fayette, Alabama, to
the late Virgil Hollis Ellis Thompson, Earl
Taylor and Katherine Berry, Heath Black,
Smith. She was previ- Jimmy Wade Rogers,
ously employed with Wayne Rogers and John
McCoy Manufacturing, David Rogers.
Reltoc and Hardee’s.
She was a member
of Antioch Baptist
Church.
In addition to her
parents, she was pre-
ceded in death by her
sister, Patricia Haw-
kins.
She is survived
by her husband, Ike
Lackey; children,
Scotty Hughes of Olive
Branch, John Hughes
of Tuscaloosa, Alabama
and Teresa Suddieth
of Nettleton; siblings,
Ronald Taylor of Hub-
bertville, Alabama and
Denise McDonald of
Fayette, Alabama; four
grandchildren; and one
great-grandchild.
Marcus Guess
VERNON, Ala. —
Marcus Guess, 77, died
May 29, 2020, at Gener-
ation of Vernon.
Funeral services
are at 2 p.m. today,
at Chandler Funeral
When was the last time you
picked up a piece of litter?
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 5A

Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff

Protest organizer David Horton holds the speaker as District Attorney Scott Colom
speaks to the crowd Saturday at Leigh Mall. Colom told the crowd of 250 that he
regretted the decision not to prosecute the Ricky Ball case himself. On Thursday,
the Attorney General’s Office announced it had dropped the manslaughter charge
against former Columbus Police Department officer Canyon Boykin in the 2015
shooting death of Ball.

Protest
Continued from Page 1A
“The motivation came
from me deciding that I
just didn’t want to sit back
and let somebody else
make decisions for me,
especially if I disagree
with those decisions,”
Horton said. “I wanted to
allow the Attorney Gener-
al’s Office and the justice
system of Mississippi to
continue with the process
and wanted to trust in
the government to serve
justice. I don’t believe
that took place. I believe
a man was murdered in
cold blood. If it’s murder,
there should be justice.”
Horton said he plans to
remain in town until Tues-
day to collect signatures
for a petition he intends
to send to the Mississippi
Supreme Court asking for
its intervention in the Ball
case.
While many in the
crowd, like Horton, were
keenly aware of Ball’s sto-
ry and the five-year jour-
ney through the justice
system that appears to
have ended abruptly and
without satisfaction for
many, others were drawn
to the bigger picture of
violence against blacks —
sparked most recently by
the Monday officer-relat-
ed death of George Floyd
in Minneapolis, for which
several police officers
were fired and one has
been arrested.
“I’d never heard of
Ricky Ball until just a
couple of days ago,” said
Tanisha McCoy, 39, who
moved to Columbus from
the Delta a year-and-a-
half ago.
McCoy took the micro-
phone to urge unity and
love in the black commu-
nity as well as reaching
out to the white people
who can be allies.
“I wanted to let people
know we have to stand up
together,” she said. “You
don’t want to hate the
next person. We want to
come together so we can
join with white people or
whoever is needed to stop
injustices for all people,
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
Protest organizer David Horton holds the megaphone
while Arthur Harris addresses the crowd during Satur-
day’s protest at Leigh Mall.
‘I was disappointed and frustrated,
just like you all. What I can tell you
right now, had I known what would
happen, I wouldn’t have done it this
way. The people I turned the case
over to, I trusted. In hindsight, that
was a mistake.’
District Attorney Scott Colom
not just black people. All and District Attorney
this has to change. It just Scott Colom, who told the
has to.” crowd he regretted his
Arthur Harris, 30, said decision to turn the case
he joined the protest as his over to the AG’s Office
commitment to change. instead of prosecuting the
“It’s time for some case in his office.
real change to happen,” “I was disappoint-
he said. “We have a lot ed and frustrated, just
of things going on in our like you all,” Colom told
city. This is the right time,
the crowd. “What I can
the right opportunity to tell you right now, had I
come and voice our opin-
known what would hap-
ion without causing any
pen, I wouldn’t have done
type of disruption.
it this way. The people I
“It’s more than Ricky
turned the case over to, I
Ball, because there are
trusted. In hindsight, that
more lives that have been
taken,” he added. “I think was a mistake.
people have been oblivi- “Probably, I lost the
ous to the fact that black trust of some of you out
lives don’t matter. Well, here. But If I wasn’t here,
(they do) matter. I feel like I’d be a coward,” he add-
America is just sweeping ed. “I want you to know
the situation under the that if any of you want to
rug and moving forward.” come and work with me to
Among the crowd were make our criminal justice
a handful of city leaders, system better, I’m here to
including Ward 4 Coun- work with you because it
cilman Pierre Beard, Po- doesn’t stop with Ricky
lice Chief Fred Shelton Ball.”
Opinion
6A SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020
PETER BIRNEY IMES Editor/Publisher
BIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher 1998-2018
BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003

Dispatch
The
BIRNEY IMES SR. Editor/Publisher 1922-1947

ZACK PLAIR, Managing Editor

BETH PROFFITT Advertising Director
MICHAEL FLOYD Circulation/Production Manager
MARY ANN HARDY Controller

PARTIAL TO HOME
The cherry cure
When someone men-
tions gout, you think of Ben
Franklin and Samuel John-
ston, the 1700s. Do people
still even get gout?
You bet they do, plenty.
A couple weeks ago a
friend told me he wasn’t feel-
ing so good. He said he was
thinking about picking up a
nearby hatchet and cutting
off his big toe. He sounded
serious. Birney Imes
He had gout.
This fellow is not a
complainer, so I knew the pain must be
severe.
According to the Mayo Clinic web-
site, the source of medical information
for this column, gout is a common and
complex form of arthritis caused by a
build-up of uric acid in the joints.
“An attack of gout can occur sudden-
ly, often waking you up in the middle of
the night with the sensation that your
big toe is on fire. The affected joint is
hot, swollen and so tender that even
the weight of the sheet on it may seem
intolerable.”
This describes the symptoms my
friend was suffering.
“I’ve had a lot of pain in my life but
that was the first time I couldn’t sleep,”
he said.
In many cases diet is the culprit.
Beef, organ meats, seafood, beer and
drinks sweetened with fructose are the
worst offenders. The same uric acid
build-up that causes gout can collect in
the urinary tract and pro-
duce kidney stones. Women
are less susceptible to gout,
at least before menopause
when they have lower uric
acid levels.
My friend had modified
his diet, was drinking lots of
water and, as instructed by
a nurse friend, taking Advil.
None if it was helping.
A couple days later when
I stopped by he was immea-
surably better.
He’d called a friend, a
retired home economics teacher in New
Hope, and she told him to eat cherries.
He immediately went to Sunflower,
bought a jar of maraschino cherries
(the ones with the red dye). He ate 20
cherries that first night and drank most
of the juice. By the next morning he felt
better. The following night he was able
to sleep.
The pain associated with gout is a
result of inflammation. Inflammation
is linked with many human ailments
including heart disease, diabetes, can-
cer, even Alzheimer’s. Diet has a major
impact on inflammation.
And guess which food packs the
biggest anti-inflammatory punch?
Cherries according to an article
published by U.S. News and World Re-
port in 2015 titled “10 Foods that Fight
Inflammation.”
The piece references a study that
showed cherries have the highest an-
ti-inflammatory content of any food.
The other nine anti-inflammatory
foods listed are olives and olive oil, tur-
meric, red onions, grapes, chia seeds,
broccoli, salmon, ginger and blueber-
ries.
Under the heading “alternative
medicine” on the Mayo Clinic website
non-medicinal treatments for gout
include coffee, vitamin C and, yes,
cherries.
“I got a buddy on Sand Road who had
been going to a specialist (for gout),” my
friend said. “He had it so bad he couldn’t
unzip his britches.”
He told his friend about the cherry
cure, but hasn’t heard back.
As for my friend, he’s a believer.
He says he might have resorted
to more radical therapies had he not
learned about the cherry cure.
“By now, I’d have nine toes,” he said.
The sensory pleasures of summer —
Friday we were able to eat a ripe peach
purchased from a roadside vendor and
stick our nose into a cluster of mimosa
blooms. Two highly recommended med-
itations. A reminder, as if one is needed,
how great is to be alive and living in the
South. And now the kitchen is redolent
with ripening fruit.
This too shall pass(?) — Not anytime
soon if the up-close socializing wit-
nessed at a downtown business with this
sign prominently on display is common
practice. A friend said a week or so ago
the staff and most of the customers at
the gas station where he buys beer were
wearing masks. For his most recent visit
a few days ago, he was the only person
in the store with a mask.
This advice from the conservative
website “The Bulwark” seems reason-
able:
“There are ways to emerge from the
quarantine that are reasonable and will
lower the chances of a renewed surge
of the virus. These involve avoiding
high-density events where people are
close to one another for prolonged peri-
ods of time (like sitting the stands at a
racetrack or ballpark) and medium-den-
sity events that take place indoors
(like movie theaters or work places or
cocktail parties).
“It involves wearing masks much of
the time in order to cut down on pre-
ventable aerosolization of virus parti-
cles.”
A radio program mentioned some-
one’s Facebook post calling people who
wear masks sissies. Others have tried
to inject politics into the COVID-19 pan-
demic, saying it’s been over-hyped.
More than 100,000 Americans of
every political persuasion have died
from this virus, and more are dying
every day. The number of new cases
in Mississippi is on the rise — 418 new
cases on Friday.
The war is far from over, folks. Wear
your mask, wash your hands, keep your
distance.
Birney Imes (birney@cdispatch.com)
is the former publisher of The Dispatch.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR LOCAL VOICES

Voice of the people
An open letter on behalf of a son
A high school graduate’s perspective
Editor’s note: The following was originally posted on It took me a good
Facebook by Angela Jones and is reprinted here with her while to figure out
permission. how to start this arti-
Dear Police, thank you for your service. cle. Partially because
Dear anyone who may feel intimidated or threat- I shouldn’t even be
ened: writing it. I should
If you ever have an encounter with my son, do not be basking in my
let his size, his build, deep voice or color threaten graduation glory, at
you. He’s only 14 years old and recently made honor Slip and Dip with my
roll. He is a member of the International Junior Thes- friends, not planning
pian Society; he made the track team; has won nu- my only outing for the
merous science fairs and serves on our Dream Team week to be Walmart
at Vibrant Church. He’s a good child who has a sweet because everything Leila-Ann Butler
spot for babies, the elderly and dogs. He knows how else is closed. I should
to cook and how to work with his hands. He helps his be getting an outfit together for
dad with many projects. a date at the fair next week, not
He respects authority. He has been taught how to figuring out what sweatshirt
conduct himself when dealing with authorities and matches my blue hospital gloves
to not make any sudden movements. He likes to be and mask. Crazy, it feels like just
heard and will probably try to explain what’s going yesterday I had a choice if I want-
on, but please don’t take those words as a reason to ed to go outside or not. For most
end his life. Please let my son breathe! Please let my introverts, this kind of thing is a
son live! Of course he isn’t perfect, but he is a good dream come true. Now most of
child with a bright future. His name is Kyle Alexan- the world is being forced to stay
der, Jones and he’s my only son! The son I prayed for! inside their houses, wilting away
Angela Jones like dreams under a magnifying
Columbus glass.
I asked for many opinions on
this subject to help figure out
what perspective I was going to
OUR VIEW write the column in. Many said
they were sad about the situation. “immune” and that the disease
kill the virus and not
being able to see their
own families, having
permanent bruise
marks from the masks
and gloves and hazmat
suits they can never
take off, and having
fears for their own
friends and families
that they must put
to the side to help
others.
Others said they
were angry about the Corona-
virus and that makes plenty of
sense too. I could have talked
about how upset I felt when I
found out that my last moments
of high school could be snatched
from me in an instant, when I
found out there would be no se-
nior run, no parade to shake kids
hands and inspire them to keep
working towards their futures,
no traditional graduation where I
could hug and shake hands with
the people I grew up with that
I may never see again. I could
have talked about the ignorance
of the people who think they are
only patients are allowed in the
rooms now. I could talk about the
fact that this should be a time
for the world to come together
unanimously in this pandemic
yet racism is currently thriving.
I get scared for my little brother
every time I see him lose control
of his anger, because the wrong
day that he does that could mean
his life. I get upset when I go on
TikTok, the social media platform
that took the world by storm
when quarantine came through
and is supposed to be a safe place
for children and teens alike, and
there are users with no faces call-
ing people of color racial slurs,
there’s a blackout movement
because the algorithm for the
app only focuses on blue eyes and
porcelain skin: there are people
who can’t even post their siblings
if they are adopted for the fear of
being “canceled.” This has always
been a problem but why especial-
ly now, when everyone needs a
kind word, when the virus doesn’t
have a color chart for its victims. I
could talk about the outrage that
is everyone thinking toilet paper
will save them from a disease that

Roses and thorns That’s understandable. I could

have written about how I miss
smiling at random strangers that
greet me because they can’t see
is fake and go to stores sick with
no masks or gloves around my
father, who is high risk because
of his stroke and asthma, or me,
affects the respiratory system.
But I digress. I am a positive
person, always have been. So
instead I’ll talk about how quaran-
A rose to District Attorney Scott
my smile behind my mask. They who is also high risk because of tine is bringing families closer to-
Colom, whose quick actions were just
can’t see my zygomatic muscles my battle with my severe asthma. gether because they get to spend
and may have helped diffuse potential
all coming together to show all The people who think this whole more time with their loved ones.
unrest in Columbus. Informed late
32 of my pearly whites that might thing is a game and still have I’ll talk about the courage that
Thursday afternoon that Attorney Gen-
make just one person’s day a little parties with more than 20 people these doctors and first respond-
eral Lynn Fitch had dropped charges
bit better. I could have talked and fuss and involve politics in ers have to do what they do every
against former Columbus police officer Canyon Boy-
about how this quarantine and the matter, when who you voted single day. I’ll talk about the fact
kin in the 2015 shooting death of Ricky Ball, Colom
being stuck in the house 24/7 for doesn’t have anything to do that the world is a cleaner place
called a press conference Friday morning to express
affects those with certain mental with being respectful and stand- now that fossil fuels and pollution
his disappointment in the decision and assure citizens
illnesses, those who count on ing on the X in line at the grocery is going down thanks to less cars
of his efforts to make sure citizens are provided
human interaction just to push store. Or those people who are in on the road. I’ll talk about how
information on the decision. Many will remember
through their day, those who go charge of the safety and welfare the boredom of quarantine has in-
that five years ago city officials did not address the
in public for the sounds to drown of their city or state and are still spired people to get creative and
shooting until three days after the incident, a vac-
out their overbearing thoughts. allowing eat-in restaurants and make content or dance or sing or
uum of silence which sparked protests in the city
I could have talked about the close-proximity stores (hair act. I’ll talk about how New York
among frustrated and angry citizens who demanded
fact that thousands of people salons, nail salons, tattoo parlors, had one of its lowest body counts
information. Colom’s press conference didn’t provide
die every single day. Mothers, etc.) to open back up without ever last week. I’ll talk about the
answers, but did much to assure residents that he’s
fathers, children, grandparents applying the correct precaution- breakthroughs that scientists
committed to getting those answers.
and friends that just pass away in ary measures, and then everyone have made to try to find a cure.
the blink of an eye. I could have is totally surprised when there I’ll talk about how the cleaning
A rose to the Columbus Police De-
touched on the fact that jobs are are 300 new cases within the first services and companies are thriv-
partment for its efforts to legitimize the
going down because people can’t week of re-opening. I could talk ing business-wise because their
city’s shelter-in-place and curfew orders
work for many reasons; fear of about the feeling that engulfs me items are always sold out. And I’ll
through enforcement to an extent
bringing the Coronavirus to their when I realize that the world will talk about how I will still receive
not seen in other communities. The
families, fear of being a carrier never be the same, that a cough the diploma I worked twelve hard
curfews in most of The Golden Triangle
and not knowing, fear of the job will always have an awkward years to get June 27.
have ended and data on the citations indicates that
they’ve worked at for several stare following it, that my kids Leila-Ann Butler, a resident of
the CPD was far more vigorous in enforcing the rules,
years being shut down, fear that may never know a world without Steens, is a 2020 graduate of New
especially the curfew. The city issued 134 citations -
they’ll catch it themselves. Or masks and six feet perimeters, Hope High. She will be attending
most of them for curfew violations - almost as many as
the fact that millions of doctors that if I had an asthma attack Mississippi University for Women
Lowndes County, Oktibbeha County, Starkville, West
around the globe are working to right now, I would have to go in the fall and majoring in Early
Point and Clay County combined. We don’t celebrate
help cure families and helping to the hospital alone because Elementary Education.
people being cited, but we do commend the CPD for
paying more than lip service to the precautions im-
plemented to protect public health during COVID-19. Local journalism matters
The virus is serious, but restrictions without account- Support The Dispatch by subscribing or advertising
ability are meaningless. The data suggests the CPD 662-328-2424 or cdispatch.com
took its responsibility seriously.

Sports
How MSU’s athletic department is preparing for an uncertain year
BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — With
the COVID-19 crisis on-
going, Mississippi State
athletic department of-
ficials are preparing for
the upcoming school year
and its athletic endeav-
ors with a semblance of
caution given uncertain
circumstances the coro-
navirus pandemic has
brought with it.
“There are so many
factors involved with put-
ting together a budget,”
MSU Athletic Director
John Cohen told The Dis-
patch this week. “And,
again, it’s not perfect, but
what we’ve been able to
do over the last several
years is we have been able
to put resources away at
the end of the year for
situations like what we’re
dealing with right now.”
Following the stan-
dard process it does each
spring, each of Mississip-
pi State’s 14 sports — the
minimum allowed to be
an NCAA Division I mem-
ber — submits a proposed
figure and breakdown for
what they will need fund-
ing-wise. Once that num-
ber is passed to universi-
ty Chief Financial Officer
Eric George, among oth-
ers, it’s factored into the
larger overall athletic
budget relative to what
the school made in reve-
nue the year before.
George — who joined
the MSU athletic depart-
ment in April after near-
ly five years at Clemson
— noted that previous
budgeting models have
been turned upside down
as exact plans for the col-
lege football season re-
main cloudy, though the
Two Oak Hill seniors sign to play college sports
Stevenson, Davis will continue athletic careers
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
WEST POINT — Oak
Hill Academy boys bas-
ketball coach Andrew
Howell wants his pro-
gram to have a reputation
for sending players to the
next level.
“We want guys to know
that when they play here,
they do have a chance to
go play after high school,”
Howell said.
On Friday, less than
six hours before his high
school graduation — held
that afternoon at the
school — Branden Ste-
venson became the latest
Raider to achieve that
goal.
The athletic 6-foot-4
forward, who transferred
to Oak Hill from West
Point High School, wasn’t
initially 100 percent sure
he’d be able to play in
college, a goal of his. But
through hard work, Ste-
venson got better, being
named the Raiders’ most
improved player, and lo-
cal colleges started tak-
ing notice.
Stevenson picked Me-
ridian Community Col-
lege, holding a signing
ceremony Friday at Oak
Hill in front of family and
friends.
“I’m extremely proud
of Branden, and I’m glad
that we can be a small
part of the start of his
journey,” Howell said.
The coach said Steven-
son’s improvement on and
off the floor helped him
make “the leap” to the
college level, where the
BREAKING DOWN THE BUDGET
Mississippi State Athletic Director John Cohen knows the importance of football this fall for the Bulldogs. “Foot-
ball is the determining factor for everything financially,” Cohen said. “So are we at 100 percent capacity? Are we
at 50 percent capacity? Are we at 20 percent capacity? That will really affect our budget for 2021.”
school is not anticipating
it will have to dip into re-
serve funds or have to cut
or furlough any athletic
department employees at
this time.
“Football obviously is
paying for pretty much
everything that’s going
on here,” George told
The Dispatch. “So we’ll
look at it and we’ll say,
‘Hey, we expect our reve-
nue to be, whatever, $125
million.’ Now we need to
make sure that all of our
expenses — whether it’s
salary, debt service, op-
erations, travel, recruit-
ing — all that needs to fit
within the revenue that
we have.”
Among the major ques-
Oak Hill Academy seniors Branden Stevenson (left)
and Jacob Davis have both signed to play their respec-
tive sports in college. Stevenson will play basketball
at Meridian Community College, and Davis will play
tennis at the Mississippi University for Women.
forward will be a “mon-
ster” athlete with plenty
of upside.
“He’s one of those that
realized he had the oppor-
tunity to be pretty good,”
Howell said. “Hopefully
the JUCO circuit will help
him with that develop-
ment.”
Howell said Stevenson
had never shown much
interest in the defensive
side of the ball before
this season, but when the
player realized he could
put his relentless energy
into it, things changed.
“(H)e realized the bet-
ter he got defensively, the
better we were gonna be
as a team, and the more
opportunities he got to
dunk it on the other end,”
Howell said.
Videos of Stevenson’s
rim-shaking slams even-
tually got out and quickly
got around, introducing
coaches who wouldn’t
normally have an MAIS
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
tion marks surrounding
the return of college ath-
letics this fall is whether
fans will be allowed in
football stadiums and to
what degree.
In one of the first pre-
cautionary moves in Di-
vision I college football,
Iowa State announced
Tuesday it does not antic-
ipate selling single-game
tickets and that only those
with one of 30,000 season
tickets would be allowed
entry to the 61,500-seat
Jack Trice Stadium.
On a more local level,
a drop in fan attendance
would be a major hit to
an already poorly funded
MSU athletic department
— one that, according to
Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff
Class 3A school on their
recruiting radar to the
forward’s unique athletic
ability.
“Being a small school,
he was kind of one of
those guys who fell
through the cracks,”
Howell said. “Not every-
body knew about us. As a
3A private school, the col-
lege coaches don’t run to
our school to come watch
our games. Once we got
videos out, we got lots of
calls.”
Stevenson said the Ea-
gles’ focus on academics
as well as athletics was a
major selling point.
“Talking to them, they
made me feel like I was
coming to a welcoming
place,” he said. “They
focused on making me a
man before a basketball
player and a student be-
fore basketball.”
Stevenson wasn’t the
only Raider to sign Fri-
day. Jacob Davis, a tennis
the USA Today database
on college athletic depart-
ment funding, operated at
the smallest budget of any
school in the Southeast-
ern Conference not in-
cluding Vanderbilt during
the 2017-18 school year.
The simplest measure
of a limited fan experience
comes in ticket sales. Ac-
cording to records ob-
tained by The Dispatch,
$14.2 million of the nearly
$17 million in ticket reve-
nue MSU reported to the
NCAA during the 2017-18
school year came from the
Bulldog football program
— a number that equaled
almost 14 percent of the
school’s total athletic de-
partment revenue. Thus,
standout at Oak Hill, put
pen to paper on his let-
ter of intent to play at the
Mississippi University for
Women.
“It really means a lot,”
said Davis, who noted
that he planned to play
tennis in college ever
since he started watching
the sport when he was
young. “It’s just really
close to home. I like the
coach, and I like the op-
portunity I’m gonna have
to play over there and to
continue my education.”
With Oak Hill, Da-
vis won the 2019 MAIS
Class AA mixed doubles
championship alongside
Raylee Craven — an ac-
complishment he called
“kind of like a dream for
a while.”
“It was just really excit-
ing to accomplish some-
thing like that, so I’m glad
I got to do it,” Davis said.
With his official visit
canceled due to the pan-
demic, it hasn’t always
been easy for Davis to
stay patient, but he has
kept in contact with head
coach Laura Marro and
his future roommate in
Columbus as he awaits
getting on campus.
“It was kinda hard just
to be patient about it,” Da-
vis said.
He’ll have to wait
roughly three more
months to get on campus,
but Friday cleared one
more obstacle out of Da-
vis’ way.
“My goal was to go
play at another level, and
I’m really glad I get to go
play there,” he said.
Courtesy of Mississippi State Athletics
if Davis Wade Stadium is
limited to just 50 percent
or 25 percent capacity
this fall, the MSU athletic
department could take a
hit of up to $10.6 million.
“Football is the deter-
mining factor for every-
thing financially,” Cohen
said. “So are we at 100
percent capacity? Are we
at 50 percent capacity?
Are we at 20 percent ca-
pacity? That will really af-
fect our budget for 2021.”
Other football-related
revenue that could take a
hit should limited atten-
dance be implemented is
merchandising. Accord-
ing to documents ob-
tained by The Dispatch,
MSU reported just over
Stenhouse heads to
Bristol buoyed by
good run at Charlotte
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BRISTOL, Tenn. —
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. could
not have had a bumpier
return to racing after
NASCAR’s 10-week shut-
down.
How bad was it? Sten-
h o u s e
crashed on
the first lap
of the first
race back
and fin-
ished last.
He fol- Stenhouse
lowed it
with a 25th-place finish
at the second Cup race
at Darlington Raceway,
then was 24th in the Co-
ca-Cola 600. In three
races, Stenhouse plum-
meted seven spots in the
standings to 24th.
Stenhouse finally
snapped out of it Thurs-
day night in a second
visit to Charlotte Motor
Speedway with a fourth-
place finish for his new
JTG-Daugherty Racing
team.
“It was just really good
to just have a smooth race
with really no issues,”
Stenhouse said. “It was
just huge to get a good
run in and pass a lot of re-
ally good cars.”
Next up is Sunday’s
stop at Bristol Motor
Speedway — the fifth
Cup race since NASCAR
resumed May 17 and a de-
cent track for Stenhouse.
His six-career top-10 fin-
ishes rank Bristol behind
only Talladega Super-
speedway at tracks where
Stenhouse has delivered.
SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 7A
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
$2 million in revenue from
program, novelty park-
ing and concession sales
during the 2017-18 school
year. Of that, $1 million
came from football.
MSU also report-
ed $12.55 million of its
$15.89 million in me-
dia rights revenues that
were allocated to specific
teams came from football.
Therefore, if the season
were to be truncated
due to a second wave of
COVID-19 this fall or
winter, a hit would likely
be felt — though to what
degree or if at all remains
to be seen.
At present, the South-
eastern Conference and
MSU are full steam ahead
toward an adjusted foot-
ball season this fall.
The SEC announced
on May 22 that stu-
dent-athletes could return
to campus for in-person
voluntary workouts be-
ginning June 8. Multiple
sources told The Dis-
patch earlier this week
that 2020 football recruits
are expected to arrive on
campus in late June be-
fore beginning classes
the first week of July as
well.
For Cohen, George
and a number of other
MSU administrators, it
will fall on them to curtail
whatever financial impact
an irregular fall on the
gridiron will entail.
“We’re not sure what
the football season will
look like, what the fall’s
going to be,” George said.
“But we do know that no
matter what, there are
going to be some things
that will come back down
a little bit. So we’ve done
that, and we’ve balanced
the budget based on that.”
This is Stenhouse’s
first season at JTG but
he surrounded himself
with familiar faces from
his Roush Fenway Racing
tenure that include long-
time crew chief Brian
Pattie. The duo is making
the transition from racing
in a Ford to a Chevrolet
now and preparing for
events that don’t include
practice or qualifying.
As NASCAR tries to
make up eight postponed
points races the sched-
ule has been condensed
into one-day shows, and
teams don’t have two or
more practice sessions to
dial-in a setup. Stenhouse
and Chris Buescher es-
sentially swapped rides
at the end of 2019, and
Buescher’s old notes
from Bristol are at their
disposal.
“Our setups, looking
at what we normally run
versus what they ran
here, are pretty similar,
so I feel good about that,”
Stenhouse said, adding
that he’s quickly getting
comfortable in the Cama-
ro and NASCAR current
aerodynamic package.
“The feel that I have
in this race car is better
than any of the feel that I
had in my Cup cars over
my career so far,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to
getting to Bristol know-
ing that we’ve had good
runs there. We’ve had
chances to win there. It
would be nice to be able
to get up and go lead
some laps, and contend
for a win there as well.”
8A SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Lifestyles LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Jan Swoope: 328-2471 B
SECTION

THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020

Strik in g th e bal an ce

Jan Swoope/Dispatch Staff

David Armstrong looks at a copy of his debut novel release, “The Rising Place,” Thursday at his office at Columbus City Hall. Outside of his
position as the City of Columbus Chief Operations Officer, Armstrong pens screenplays and novels.

Did you know? This Columbus city official is also an author

BY JAN SWOOPE
jswoope@cdispatch.com

D
avid Armstrong will tell you he has a real left brain/right
brain dichotomy going on. By day, the City of Columbus
Chief Operations Officer is immersed in local governance,
budgets, meetings — generally said to be the realm of the left
brain. Outside the job, however, his mind inhabits a different world
altogether — a creative one teeming with evolving characters,
plots and dialogue, even a little time travel. Welcome to the “right
brain side” of David Armstrong.
The Natchez native is a writer of screenplays and novels. His de-
but book, “The Rising Place,” published by The Wild Rose Press,
is available now on Amazon and will be available by June 2 through
other book sources. While most writers pen a book and hope it
might make it to the screen some day, “The Rising Place” experi-
enced just the reverse. Armstrong’s historical fiction was adapted
for a 2001 independent film by Flatland Pictures, featuring Gary
Cole and Frances Fisher among the cast. It won 16 film festival
awards before opening in New York and Los Angeles. It’s currently
available on DVD.
Armstrong has written additional screenplays, one of which he
is marketing within the industry right now. He’s also completed
two other novels. One of those, “The Third Gift,” is under contract
for publication this summer.
Jan Swoope/Dispatch Staff
David Armstrong holds a copy Thursday of “The Rising Place”
■■■
beside a poster in his City Hall office for the 2001 film “The Rising
Place.” The story originally penned by Armstrong was adapted for
If there’s a writing bug, it’s been with the City of Columbus’ the film first; it has just come out in book form.
COO since his childhood in Adams County.
“I remember writing my first short story, called ‘The House on In the decades since, he’s paid a few dues, he feels. Years of
the Hill,’ when I was, I think, in fifth grade,” Armstrong said. “I research, writing and groundwork with publishers and filmmakers
had an aunt who was a novelist who wrote Agatha Christie kind of have required commitment, especially with an already-full plate.
stories and she got me interested.” The graduate of Mississippi State University and University of
Armstrong wasn’t a big reader as a kid, preferring instead to be Mississippi School of Law is an attorney, a former mayor of Nat-
outdoors involved in one sport or another. But in high school, he chez and a former candidate for the United States Congress. He
discovered broad horizons in the written word. taught screenwriting through the University of Mississippi branch
“I started reading a lot and wrote a lot of short stories and poet- in DeSoto County. He’s also the father of two grown sons.
ry,” he said. “I wrote my first novel in 1981.” See ARMSTRONG, 6B

MSMS seniors adapt, excel in spite of pandemic

BY JAN SWOOPE likely to bump into each other at a local
jswoope@cdispatch.com fast food place or downtown boutique

O
n the day Mississippi School for
Mathematics and Science senior
Linda Arnoldus had hoped to
walk across the stage in Mississippi
University for Women’s Whitfield Hall
to receive her diploma, the 17-year-old
instead sat on a sofa with family mem-
bers at her home in Starkville to watch
a streamed virtual graduation. Many
schools had to create similar ceremo-
nies this month because COVID-19
suspended the final semester for the
Class of 2020 everywhere. But unlike
Courtesy photo
other schools, MSMS is Mississippi’s
Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science senior Gina Nguyen, 18, far right,
watches the MSMS virtual graduation ceremony May 23 at her home in D’Iberville only public, residential high school for
with her brothers, Gary and Glenn, her mom Diane Nguyen, and her stepdad David the state’s most academically gifted and
Bennett. The 108 graduating seniors in the MSMS Class of 2020 were offered more talented students. Its seniors hail from
than $28 million in scholarships; they accepted about $10.5 million. 35 different counties. They won’t be
over the summer. These seniors didn’t
just attend MSMS; they lived together
there. Their daily lives were entwined,
morning, noon and night. When the
global pandemic abruptly closed cam-
pus during spring break, most never
got to say final goodbyes.
“MSMS is just like a
huge family. Everybody
knows everybody, and
leaving and not coming
back was like leaving
your family members
and not being able to visit
them. It was really heart-
breaking,” said Arnoldus, Arnoldus
who will attend Missis-
sippi State University this fall to study
See MSMS, 6B
2B SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020
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APAC-MISSISSIPPI, INC.
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to schedule your ad.
Do you need to change your
church’s listing? Call 328-2424 or
email changes to tinap@cdispatch.com
subject: church page
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Due to local restrictions, churches likely have modified service types and hours. Please contact a church before attending a service.
Church Directory
These church directory pages are made possible by the sponsorship of the following businesses.
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD
NEW LIFE ASSEMBLY OF GOD — 4474 New Hope
Road. Worship 10:30 a.m., Children’s Church 10:30 a.m.,
662-664-0852
THE ASSEMBLY COLUMBUS — 2201 Military
Road. Christian Education 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m.,
Nursery Church (2-3 yrs.) Children’s Church 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. (something for all ages). Nursery
provided for all services. Jody Gurley, Pastor. 662-328-
6374
BAPTIST
ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH — Hwy. 45 N.
Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Discipleship
Training 5 p.m., Worship 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Mitch
McWilliams, Pastor. 662-328-4765
ARMSTRONG BAPTIST CHURCH — 1707
Yorkville Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. Bible
Study Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev. William Vaughn, Pastor. 662-
328-0670
ARTESIA BAPTIST CHURCH — Sunday School 10
a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesday 6 p.m. Pastor
Jeff Morgan.
BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH — 3232 Military Road.
Sunday School 10:00 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.,
Wednesday Bible Study 6 p.m. Walter Butler, Pastor.
BETHESDA BAPTIST CHURCH — 2096 Bethesda
Rd, Crawford. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
Discipleship Training 6:00 p.m., Worship 7 p.m., Wednesday
7:00 p.m. Allan Dees, Pastor. 662-272-8734
BORDER SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH — 12771
Hwy. 12 E., Caledonia. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship
10:30 a.m., Discipleship Training 5:15 p.m., Worship 6 p.m.,
Wednesday Bible Study – Adults, Children, and Youth
classes 6:30 p.m. Dan Louman, Pastor. 662-386-0541.
www. borderspringsbaptistchurch.com
BROOKSVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH — Main
Street, Brooksville. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship
10:55 a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
CALEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH — 7840 Wolfe
LLC
Road, Caledonia. Sunday Men’s Prayer Service 9:30 a.m.,
Sunday School 10 a.m. Sunday, Worship 11 a.m. Sunday,
Bible Study 4 p.m., Worship 5 p.m., Wednesday Bible Study
6:30 p.m. Kelby R. Johnson, Pastor.
CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH — 295 Dowdle
Dr. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m., Adult
Choir rehearsals and Discipleship Training 5 p.m., Worship
6 p.m., Wednesday 6:15 p.m. Rev. Ralph Windle, Interim
Pastor. 662-328-6741
CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH — 385 7th St. SW,
Vernon, Ala. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and
5 p.m. (6 p.m. - Daylight Savings Time), Wednesday 6:30
p.m. Wil Corbett, Pastor. 205-270-1845
CANAAN BAPTIST CHURCH — 1008 Lehmberg
Rd. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m. and 5
p.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Paul Shaw, Pastor. 662-327-
3771
CANAAN MB CHURCH — 2425 Bell Ave. Sunday
School 8:15 a.m., Worship 9:30 a.m., Wednesday Bible
Study 6 p.m. Jimmy Pounds, Pastor. 662-327-1226
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH — 2490
Yorkville Rd. East Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30
a.m., Wednesday Bible Study, Children & Youth Classes
6:30 p.m. Matt Moehring, Pastor. Edward Rhinewalt, Music
Director. 662-327-5306
CORNERSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH — 844
Old West Point Rd., Starkville. Sunday 10:30 a.m.
Greg Upperman, Pastor. 662-323-6351 or visit www.
cornerstonestarkville.com
EAST END BAPTIST CHURCH — 380 Hwy.
50 W. (Hwy. 50 and Holly Hills Rd.) Sunday School 9:15
a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m., Worship 5 p.m. followed by
Discipleship Training, Mission Friends and GAs 5 p.m.,
Sanctuary Choir 6:30 p.m., Wednesday Prayer Meeting,
Youth Worship, Preschool & Children’s Choirs 6:30 p.m.
Bryon Benson, Pastor. 662-328-5915
EASTVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH — 1316 Ben
Christopher Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
We unlock Wednesday 7 p.m. Junior Eads, Pastor. 662-329-2245
FAIRVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH — 127 Airline Rd.
Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.,
Wednesday 6 p.m. Dr. Breck Ladd, Pastor. 662-328-2924
FAITH CHRISTIAN BAPTIST CHURCH — 1621
Mike Parra Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.
Rev. Michael Love, Pastor. 662-434-5252
N. Sunday Worship 8:45 a.m., Sunday School 10 a.m.
(Worship televised at 10 a.m. on WCBI-TV, Columbus
Cable Channel 7), Contemporary Worship 11 a.m.;
Sunday Evening Worship 5 p.m., Midweek Prayer Service
Wednesday 6 p.m. located downtown. Dr. Shawn Parker,
Pastor. 662-245-0540 columbusfbc.org
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF STEENS — 40
Odom Rd., Steens. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11
a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m.
FRIENDSHIP BAPTIST — 125 Yorkville Rd. W.
Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.,
Wednesday 7 p.m. John Gainer, Pastor. 662-328-6024 or
662-328-3183
GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH — 708 Airline
Rd. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m. & 6 p.m.,
Wednesday 6 p.m. Charles Whitney, Pastor.
GRACE COVENANT BAPTIST CHURCH — 912
11th Ave. S. Sunday 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Pastor Sammy
Burns. 662-328-1096
GREENWOOD SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH
— 278 East between Gattman & Amory. Sunday School 10
a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesday 7:15 p.m.
Rev. John Walden, Pastor. 662-356-4445
IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH — 6342 Military
Rd., Steens. Bible Study 10:30 a.m., Worship 9:15 a.m. and
6 p.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. 662-328-1668
KOLOLA SPRINGS BAPTIST CHURCH —
Caledonia. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m.,
AWANA 4:45-6 Ages 2-12th grade (Sept. - May), Worship
5 p.m., Choir Practice Wednesday 6 p.m., 252 Basics
Children’s Ministry an Cross Training Youth Wednesday
7 p.m., Wednesday Bible Study 7 p.m. Rev. Don Harding,
Pastor.
LONGVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH — 991 Buckner
Street, Longview. Sunday School 10:00 a.m., Worship
11:00 a.m., Discipleship Training 5:15 p.m., Evening
Worship 6:00 p.m.; Wednesday Prayer Meeting 6:30 p.m.
Interim Pastor Ron Linkins, or email ynyministry@yahoo.
com, 662-769-4774
MCBEE BAPTIST CHURCH — 2846 Hwy. 50 E.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m., Discipleship
Training 5 p.m., Worship 6 p.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Rev.
Jimmy Ray, Pastor. 662-328-7177
MIDWAY BAPTIST CHURCH — Holly Hills Rd.
Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 6
p.m., Prayer Service every Saturday 6 p.m. Rev. Denver
Clark, Pastor.
MOUNT PISGAH BAPTIST CHURCH — 2628
East Tibbee Rd., West Point. Sunday Worship each week 8
a.m., 1st, 3rd and 5th Sunday Worship 11:30 a.m., Sunday
School 9:30 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Donald Wesley,
Pastor.
MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH — 1791 Lake
Lowndes Rd. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10:15 a.m.
and 6 p.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Steve Lammons, Pastor.
662-328-2811
MT. VERNON CHURCH — 200 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Sunday Worship 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., Service Life Groups
for all ages 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., Connection Cafe 10 a.m.,
Discovery Zone. 662-328-3042 mtvchurch.com
MURRAH’S CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH —
9297 Hwy. 69 S. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30
a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
NEW COVENANT BAPTIST CHURCH — Highway
50 E. Sunday School 9 a.m., Service 10 a.m., Wednesday
7 p.m. Ed Nix, Pastor.
NEW JOURNEY CHURCH — 3123 New Hope Rd.
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m., Small Groups 5:30 p.m., Kevin
Edge, Pastor. 662-315-7753 or thenewjourneychurch.org
NEW SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH — 7086 Wolfe
Rd., 3 miles south of Caledonia. Sunday Worship 8:00
a.m. & 10:30 a.m., Sunday School 9:15 a.m., Sunday
Evening - AWANA 4 p.m., Discipleship Training, Youth
& Adult 5 p.m., Evening Worship 6 p.m., Wednesday -
Adults, Youth & Children 6:30 p.m. 662-356-4940 www.
newsalembaptistcaledonia.com Bro. Mel Howton, Pastor.
NORTHSIDE FREE WILL BAPTIST — 14th Ave.
and Waterworks. Sunday School 10 a.m., Sunday Worship
11 a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev. Pat Creel,
Pastor.
OPEN DOOR MB CHURCH — Starkville Sportsplex,
405 Lynn Lane, Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.
1st 2nd and 4th Sundays. Donnie Jones, Pastor. 662-263-
7102
PLEASANT GROVE MB CHURCH — 1914 Moor
High Road, Crawford. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship
11 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev. Riley Forrest, Sr., Pastor.
662-272-8221
PLEASANT HILL BAPTIST — 1383 Pleasant Hill Rd.
Join us at phbccolumbus.com or on Facebook for services.
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m. & 6 p.m., Wednesday 6 p.m. Bill
Hurt, Pastor. 662-329-3921
PLYMOUTH BAPTIST CHURCH — 187 Plymouth
Rd. Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev.
Randy Rigdon, Pastor. Neil Shepherd, Music.
SOVEREIGN FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH — 7852
Hwy. 12 E., Steens. Sunday Worship 10 a.m., Service 5
p.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Charles Young, Pastor.
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH —
12859 Martin Road Spur, Northport, Ala. Worship 11
a.m., Sunday Bible Study noon. Todd Bryant, Pastor.
sovereigngrace.net
STATE LINE BAPTIST CHURCH — 7560 Hwy. 1282
E. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m., Wednesday
Night small group 6:30 p.m. Robert Gillis, Pastor. 662-
329-2973
TEMPLE OF DELIVERANCE BAPTIST
CHURCH — 4307 Sand Rd., Steens. Maurice Williams,
Pastor. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.,
Wednesday 7 p.m. 662-327-2580
UNITED CHRISTIAN BAPTIST CHURCH — 2
blocks east of Hwy. 69 on Yorkville Rd. Sunday School 9
a.m., Worship 10:15 a.m. Dr. Steven L. James Sr., Pastor.
UNIVERSITY BAPTIST CHURCH — 1104
Louisville St., Starkville (located in Fellowship Hall of St.
Luke Lutheran Church). Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship
11 a.m. Bert Montgomery, Pastor. www.ubcstarkville.org
VICTORY FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH —
Victory Loop off of Mill Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship
11 a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Pastor, Al Hamm.
WOODLAND BAPTIST CHURCH — 3033 Ridge
Rd. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m., Worship
6 p.m., AWANA Wednesday 6:30 p.m., Wednesday 6:30
p.m. Kevin Jenkins, Pastor. 662-327-6689. Brad Wright,
Youth Minister.
10TH STREET FAIRLAWN BAPTIST CHURCH
— 1118 7th St. S. Sunday School 8 a.m., Worship 9:30 a.m.,
Wednesday 7 p.m., Youth Ministry Wednesday 4:30 p.m.
Rev. Brian Hood, Pastor.
INDEPENDENT BAPTIST
BETHESDA CHURCH — 1800 Short Main. Sunday
School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m.
Nathaniel Best, Pastor. E-mail: bethesdambchurch@
yahoo.com
BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH — 5860 Hwy. 50 E., West
Point. Sunday School 10 a.m., Service 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.,
Wednesday 7 p.m.
FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH — 1720 Hwy.
373. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.,
Wednesday 7 p.m. Martin “Buddy” Gardner, Pastor.
LIGHTHOUSE BAPTIST CHURCH — 5030 Hwy.
182 E. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m. and 6
p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. 662-327-1130
SHINING LIGHT BAPTIST CHURCH — 957
Sunset Drive, Starkville in the Comfort Suites Conference
Room, Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m. and 6
p.m. Pastor John Harvey. slbcstarkville.org 662-648-0282
MISSIONARY BAPTIST
ANDERSON GROVE MB CHURCH — 1131
Woodlawn Rd., Steens. Sunday School 9:20 a.m., Worship
11:00 a.m., Bible Study Wednesday 6:20 p.m. Rev. William
Sparks, Pastor. 662-356-4968.
ANTIOCH MB CHURCH — 2304 Seventh Ave. N.
Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Wednesday 6 p.m.
Kenny Bridges, Pastor.
BETHLEHEM MB CHURCH — 293 Bethlehem Road,
Caledonia. Sunday School 1st and 4th Sundays 8 a.m., 2nd
& 3rd Sundays 9:30 a.m., Worship 1st & 4th Sundays 9:30
a.m., 2nd & 3rd Sundays 11 a.m., Wednesdays 6 p.m. Rev.
Willie James Gardner, Pastor. 662-356-4424
BLESSING MB CHURCH — Starkville Sportsplex,
Activity Center 405 Lynn Lane Road. Sunday Worship 2nd,
4th & 5th Sundays 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Pastor Martin. 662-
744-0561
BRICK MB CHURCH — Old Macon Rd. Sunday School
9:30 a.m. each Sunday, Worship 2nd and 4th Sundays only
11 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev. Everett Little, Pastor.
CALVARY FAITH CENTER — Hwy. 373 & Jess
Lyons Road. Sunday Worship 8:00 a.m., Sunday School 9
a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Pastor Robert
Bowers, Pastor. 662-434-0144
CEDAR GROVE MB CHURCH — 286 Swartz Dr.
Worship Services 11:15 a.m., Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Johnnie Richardson, Pastor. 662-
434-6528
CHRISTIAN HILL MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH — 14096 MS Hwy. 388, Brooksville, MS 39739,
Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11:00 a.m., Wednesday
6:30 p.m. Bobby Bowen, Pastor. 662-738-5837/549-6100
CHRIST MB CHURCH — 110 2nd Ave. S. Sunday
School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 6 p.m., B.T.U.
Program every 1st & 3rd Sunday 6 p.m.
ELBETHEL MB CHURCH — 2205 Washington Ave.
Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday
7:00 p.m., Rev. Leroy Jones, Pastor.
FAITH HARVEST MB CHURCH — 4266 Sand
Road. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Bible class
Tuesday 6 p.m. Hugh L. Dent, Pastor. 662-243-7076.
FOURTH STREET MB CHURCH — 610 4th St. N.
Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10:45 a.m., Wednesday
Bible Study 7 p.m. Rev. Jimmy L. Rice, Pastor. 662-328-1913
FRIENDSHIP MB CHURCH — 1102 12th Ave. S.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday
6 p.m. Dr. Stanley K. McCrary, Pastor. 662-327-7473 or
662-251-4185
GREATER MT. OLIVE M.B. CHURCH — 1856
Carson Rd. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10:15 a.m.,
Wednesday 7 a.m. Donald Henry, Pastor.
HALBERT MISSION MB CHURCH — 2199 Halbert
Church Rd., Ethelsville, Ala. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Worship 11 a.m. Ernest Prescott, Pastor.
HOPEWELL MB CHURCH — 4892 Ridge Rd.
Sunday School 8 a.m., Worship 9 a.m., Minister Terry
Johnson, Interim Pastor.
JERUSALEM MB CHURCH — 14129 Hwy 12 E.,
Caledonia. Sunday School 8:30 a.m., Worship 9:30 a.m.,
Wednesday Bible Study 6 p.m. Rev. Willie Petty, Sr., Pastor.
MAPLE STREET BAPTIST — 219 Maple St.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m.,
Wednesday 6 p.m. Joseph Oyeleye, Pastor. 662-328-4629
MILLERS CHAPEL MB CHURCH — 425 East
North St. Macon. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11
a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Ron Houston, Pastor.
MISSIONARY UNION BAPTIST CHURCH —
1207 5th Ave. N. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11
a.m., Worship 6 p.m., Wednesday 6 p.m. Rev. Antoine T.
Colvin, Pastor. 662-327-5408 www.missionaryunionbc.org
MOUNT ZION MB CHURCH — 2221 14th Ave. N.
Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Tuesday Bible
Study 7 p.m. Jesse J. Slater, Pastor. 662-328-4979
MT. ARY MB CHURCH — 291 S. Frontage Rd., Lot
#4. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Wednesday 6
p.m. Rev. Erick Logan, Pastor.
MT. AVERY BAPTIST CHURCH — 12311 Nashville
Ferry Rd. E. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m. every
Sunday except 5th Sunday. Rev. John Wells, Pastor.
MT. OLIVE MB CHURCH — 2020 Atkin Rd., Millport,
Ala. Sunday School 9 a.m. Worship Service 10 a.m. Pastor
Benny W. Henry. 205-662-3923
NEW HOPE MB CHURCH — 271 Church St., Artesia.
Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 6
p.m. Thomas E. Rice is Pastor. 662-494-1580
NEW BAPTIST TEMPLE MB CHURCH — 5937
Nashville Ferry Rd. E. Sunday School 9 a.m. each week
except 5th Sunday, Worship 10 a.m. each week except 5th
Sunday, 5th Sundays: Ushers Board Fellowship. Rev. L.A.
Gardner, Pastor. 662-329-3321
NEW ZION PILGRIM MB CHURCH — 5253 New
Hope Rd. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship Services
11 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Rev. Christopher Wriley,
Pastor.
NEW ZION STEENS MB CHURCH — 3301 Sand
Rd. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Wednesday
6 p.m. Pastor Rev. Billy D. Hill. 662-329-5224
OAK GROVE MB CHURCH — 1090 Taylor
Thurston Rd. Sunday School 9:00 a.m., Worship 10 a.m.,
5th Sunday 8 a.m., Wednesday Bible Study 6:15 p.m.
Pastor Therman Cunningham Sr., 662-798-0179
OAKLAND MB CHURCH — 18 Fairport Road,
Crawford. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
Wednesday Bible study 7 p.m., Mass Choir Rehearsal
- Wed. before 1st and 2nd Sun. 6 p.m., Male Chorus
Rehearsal - Wed. before 3rd Sun. 6 p.m., Junior Choir
Rehearsal - Wed. before 4th Sun. 6 p.m. Rev. Sammy
L. White, Pastor.
PLEASANT GROVE ROBINSON MB CHURCH
— 9203 Hwy. 389 N., Starkville. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Worship 11:15 a.m., Wednesday Prayer Service/Bible
Study 7 p.m. Pastor George A. Sanders. 456-0024
PLEASANT RIDGE MB CHURCH — Ridge Rd.
Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 6
p.m. A. Edwards, Sr., Pastor.
PROVIDENCE MB CHURCH — Old Hwy. 69 S.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday
7 p.m. Rev. Gilbert Anderson, Pastor.
SAINT MATTHEWS MB CHURCH — 1213
Island Rd. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Curtis Clay, Sr., Pastor.
SALEM MB CHURCH — Hwy. 86, Carrollton, Ala.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday
6 p.m. Rev. David J. Johnson, Jr., Pastor.
SECOND JAMES CREEK MB CHURCH —
4898 Baldwin Rd., Brooksville. Sunday School 9:45 a.m.,
Worship 11 a.m. Pastor Michael Tate. 662-738-5855
SOUTHSIDE MB CHURCH — 100 Nashville Ferry
Rd. E. Sunday School 8:30 a.m., Worship 10 a.m.,
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Rev. Rayfield Evins Jr., Pastor.
SIXTH AVENUE MB CHURCH — 1519 Sixth Ave.
N. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m., Bible Study
Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev. W.C. Talley, Pastor. 662-329-
2344
SPRINGFIELD MB CHURCH — 6369 Hwy. 45 S.
(1st & 3rd Sunday) Sunday School 10:30 a.m., Worship
11:30 a.m., (1st & 3rd Wednesday) 7 p.m. Robert Gavin,
Pastor. 662-327-9843
STEPHEN CHAPEL MB CHURCH — 2008 7th
Ave. N. Sunday School 8:30 a.m., Worship 9:45 a.m.
Bible Study Wednesday 10:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.
ST. JAMES MB CHURCH — 6525 Hardy-Billups
Rd., Crawford. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.
and 6:15 p.m. Rev. Chad Payton, Pastor.
ST. JOHN MB CHURCH — 3477 Motley Rd.,
Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday
Bible Study 7 p.m. Joe Brooks, Pastor. 327-7494.
ST. PAUL MB CHURCH — Robinson Rd. Sunday
School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 6 p.m.
Rev. Willie Mays, Pastor.
ST. PAUL MB CHURCH — 1800 Short Main St.
Disciple Training/Sunday School 8 a.m., Worship 9:00
a.m. Rev. John F. Johnson, Pastor. 662-241-7111
STRONG HILL MISSIONARY BAPTIST
CHURCH — 325 Barton Ferry Rd., West Point. Sunday
School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday Bible
Study 6 p.m.
TABERNACLE MB CHURCH — Magnolia Drive,
Macon. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
Wednesday 6 p.m.
UNION BAPTIST MB CHURCH — 101 Weaver
Rd. (Hwy. 69 S) Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11
a.m., Wednesday 6 p.m. Pastor McSwain.
UNION HOPEWELL MB CHURCH — 150
Spurlock Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
Wednesday 6 p.m. Carlton Jones, Pastor.
WOODLAWN LANDMARK MB CHURCH —
8086 Hwy. 12. East, Steens. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Worship 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. David
Retherford, Pastor.
THE WORD CHURCH INTERNATIONAL — 366
Carson Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11:15 a.m.,
Wednesday 7 p.m. John Sanders, Pastor.
ZION GATE MB CHURCH — 1202 5th St. S. Sunday
School 9:30 a.m., Worship 8 a.m. and 10:45., Children’s
Church 10:15 a.m., Worship 5 p.m., Wednesday 6 p.m.
Dr. James A. Boyd, Pastor.
PRIMITIVE BAPTIST
ABERDEEN PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH
— Washington St. & Columbus St., Aberdeen. Sunday
10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Herb Hatfield, Pastor. 662-369-
4937
HAMILTON PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH —
Flower Farm Rd., 2 miles South of Hamilton, just off Hwy.
45. Sunday 10:30 a.m. Jesse Phillips, Pastor. 662-429-
2305
MAYHEW PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH —
842 Hwy. 45 Alternate, Starkville. Sunday Service 10:30
a.m. Herb Hatfield,Pastor. 662-315-4937
SPRINGHILL P.B. CHURCH — 3996 Sandyland
Road, Macon, MS. Walter Lowery Jr., Pastor. Sunday
School 9:00 a.m., Worship 10:00 a.m., Tuesday Bible
Study 6 p.m. 662-738-5006.
SULPHUR SPRINGS PRIMITIVE BAPTIST
CHURCH — North of Caledonia on Wolf Rd, Hamilton.
Sunday 10:30 a.m. & 1st Sunday Night at 6:30 p.m. Elder
Joseph Mettles, Pastor. 662-369-2532
ANGLICAN CATHOLIC
SAINT DAVID’S AT MAYHEW — 549 Mayhew
Rd., Mayhew. Holy Eucharist - Sunday 10 a.m. 662-244-
5939 or anglicancatholic.org
CATHOLIC
ANNUNCIATION CATHOLIC CHURCH — 808
College St. Mass Schedules are as follows: Sunday 8
a.m. & 10:30 a.m., Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8 a.m.,
Tuesday 5:30 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m., and Annunciation
Catholic School (during the school year). Father Jeffrey
Waldrep, Priest.
CHRISTIAN
FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH — 811 N. McCrary.
Lavelle Smith, Pastor. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship
10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH — 720 4th Ave.
N. and 8th St. N. Sunday Service 10:30 a.m.
CHURCH OF CHRIST
CALEDONIA CHURCH OF CHRIST — Main
St., Caledonia. Sunday Bible Study 9 a.m., Worship 10
a.m. and 5 p.m., Wednesday 6 p.m.
CHURCH OF CHRIST — 4362 Hwy. 69 S. Sunday
Worship 9:30 a.m. , Wednesday 6 p.m. Loviah Johnson
662-574-0426 or E-mail: jtychicus00@gmail.com
CHURCH OF CHRIST — 437 Gregory Rd. Sunday
Bible class 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.,
Wednesday 7 p.m. Richard Latham, Minister. 662-
328-4705
CHURCH OF CHRIST DIVINE — 1316 15th
St. S. Morning Worship (1st, 2nd, & 4th Sunday) 9:45
a.m., (3rd & 5th Sunday) 8:30 a.m., Wednesday Prayer
6 p.m., Wednesday Bible Study 7 p.m. 662-327-6060
Bishop Timothy Heard, Pastor.
COLUMBUS CHURCH OF CHRIST — 2401
7th St. N. Sunday Bible Class 9:30 a.m., Worship
10:30 a.m., Sunday Bible Study 5 p.m., Wednesday
6:30 p.m. Paul Bennett, Family Life Minister; Billy
Ferguson, Minister of Discipleship; Hunter Johnson,
Youth Minister.
EAST COLUMBUS CHURCH OF CHRIST —
Highway 182 E. at Gaylane. Sunday Worship 9 a.m.,
Bible Study 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 7
p.m. http://eastcolumbuschurch.com
HWY. 69 CHURCH OF CHRIST — 2407 Hwy. 69
S. Sunday Bible Study 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:15 a.m.
and 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Minister Jay Street.
www.highway69coc.com
LONE OAK CHURCH OF CHRIST — 1903 Lone
Oak Rd., Steens. Bible Study 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m.
and 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m.
MAGNOLIA CHURCH OF CHRIST — 161 Jess
Lyons Rd. Bible Study 9:15 a.m., Worship, 10 a.m. and
6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Minister David May, Pastor.
662-769-5514.
NORTH HILLCREST CHURCH OF CHRIST
— 900 North Hillcrest, Aberdeen, MS 39730, Sunday
Worship 10:00 a.m., Wednesday Bible Study 6:00
p.m., Bro. Arthur Burnett, Minister, 662-304-6098.
Email: nhill crestcoc@gmail.com
STEENS CHURCH OF CHRIST — Steens
Vernon Rd. 9:15 a.m. Bible Study, Worship 10 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Tim Gentle, Minister.
10TH AVE. N. CHURCH OF CHRIST — 1828
10th Ave. N. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30
a.m., Bible Class 5 p.m., Worship 6 p.m., Wednesday
7 p.m. Willie McCord, Minister.
WOODLAWN CHURCH OF CHRIST —
Woodlawn Community. Sunday 9 a.m., Worship 9:45
a.m., Worship 6 p.m., Wednesday 7:30 p.m. Willis
Logan, Minister.
CHURCH OF GOD
CHURCH OF GOD IN JESUS’ NAME — Hwy. 12.
Sunday 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Tuesday 7 p.m. David Sipes,
Pastor.
CORNERSTONE WORSHIP CENTER — 7840
Wolfe Rd. Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.,
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Tony Hunt, Pastor. 662-889-6570

Due to local restrictions, churches likely have modified service types and hours. Please contact a church before attending a service.
Let us replenish the seed of faith through ...
Regular Church Attendance
LATTER RAIN CHURCH OF GOD — 721 7th Ave.
S. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. Wednesday 6
p.m. Brenda Othell Sullivan, Pastor.
NORTH COLUMBUS CHURCH OF GOD — 2103
Jess Lyons Rd. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 10:30
a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Clarence Roberts,
Pastor.
YORKVILLE HEIGHTS CHURCH — 2274 Yorkville
Rd., Sunday Connect Groups 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30
a.m., Wednesday Worship 7 p.m.; Nursery available for all
services (newborn-4). Scott Volland, Pastor. 662-328-1256
or www.yorkvilleheights.com
CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
BIBLE WAY PROGRESSIVE CHURCH OF GOD
IN CHRIST — 426 Military Rd. Sunday School 8 a.m.,
Worship 9 a.m., Monday Prayer 6 p.m., Wednesday Bible
Study 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday Prayer Noon. Tommy
Williams, Pastor.
FIFTEENTH ST. CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
— 917 15th St. N. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m.
and 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Marion C. Bonner, Pastor.
GREATER PENTECOSTAL TEMPLE CHURCH
OF GOD IN CHRIST — 1601 Pickensville Rd., Sunday
School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Monday 6 p.m., Tuesday
7 p.m., Friday 7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. Ocie Salter, Pastor.
MIRACLE TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN
CHRIST — 5429 Hwy. 45 N. Sunday Prayer 8 a.m.,
Sunday School 8:30 a.m., Worship 9:30 a.m., 4th Sunday
Fellowship Lunch, Youth Sunday 4th Sunday, Wednesday
Bible Study 6 p.m. Elder Robert L. Brown, Jr., Pastor. 662-
327-4221. Email: mr.endure@aol.com
NOW FAITH CENTER MINISTRIES — 425 Military
Road, Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11:30 a.m., Tuesday
Night Bible Study 7 p.m. Elder Samuel Wilson, Pastor.
OPEN DOOR CHURCH OF GOD — 711 S. Thayer
Ave., Aberdeen. Sunday School 10:30 a.m., Worship 11:30
a.m., Tuesday Bible School 10 a.m. & 6 p.m., 2nd & 4th
Thursday Evangelist Night 6 p.m. Johnnie Bradford, Pastor.
662-574-2847.
PETER’S ROCK TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN
CHRIST — 223 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Starkville.
Sunday Worship 7:45 a.m., 10 a.m., 6 p.m., Sunday School 9
a.m., Wednesday Bible Study 7 p.m.
VICTORY TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN
CHRIST — Minnie Vaughn Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Worship 12 p.m., Tuesday 7 p.m. Donald Koonch, Pastor.
662-243-2064
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE
CAFB CHAPEL — Catholic - Sunday: Catholic
Reconciliation 4:00 p.m., Mass 5 p.m. Catholic Priest Father
Paul Stewart. Protestant - Sunday: Adult Sunday School
9 a.m., Worship 10:45 a.m. Wing Chaplain Lt. Col. Steven
Richardson. 662-434-2500
EPISCOPAL
GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH —
321 Forrest Blvd. Sunday Bible Study 9 a.m., Worship 10
a.m., Wednesday Bible Study 6 p.m. Rev. Sandra DePriest.
662-574-1972
ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH — 318 College
St. Sunday 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday School 9:15 a.m.
Rev. Jason Shelby. 662-328-6673 or stpaulscolumbus.com.
FULL GOSPEL
BREAD OF LIFE FELLOWSHIP — New Hope Road.
Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m., Wednesday 6
p.m. Jack Taylor, Pastor.
BEULAH GROVE FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST
CHURCH — 8490 Artesia Rd., Artesia, MS. Sunday
Service 8:30 a.m., Tuesday Bible Study 6:30 p.m. Timothy
Bourne, Senior Pastor.
CHARITY FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH —
1524 6th Ave. S. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
Wednesday 7 p.m., Saturday 6 p.m. Charles Fisher, Pastor.
CHARITY MISSION FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST
CHURCH — 807 Tarlton Rd., Crawford. Sunday School
9:40 a.m., Worship 11:15 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m., Prayer
Hour Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m., Saturday 8 a.m., New Membership
Class 9:30 p.m., 5th Sunday Worship 6:30 p.m. 662-272-
5355
COVENANT LIFE MINISTRIES CHURCH — W.
Yorkville Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
Evening 6:30 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m.
FAIRVIEW FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH
— 1446 Wilson Pine Rd., Crawford. Sunday School 9:30
a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Tuesday 7 p.m. Bobby L. McCarter
662-328-2793
GREATER MOUNT ZION CHURCH — 5114 Hwy.
182 E. Sunday Corporate Prayer 8 a.m., Sunday School 9
a.m., Worship 10:15 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m., Bible Study
7 p.m. Doran V. Johnson, Pastor. 662-329-1905
GOD’S ANNOINTED PEOPLE MINISTRY FULL
GOSPEL FELLOWSHIP — 611 Jess Lyons Rd.
Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 6:30
p.m. Jerome Gill, Pastor. 662-244-7088
HARVEST LIFE CHURCH — 425 Military Rd. Sunday
Service 10:30 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. F. Clark Richardson,
Pastor. 662-329-2820
NEW BEGINNING FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST
CHURCH — 318 Idlewild Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. 662-
327-3962
NEW LIFE FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH
— 426 Military Rd. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship
10a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev. Michael Love, Pastor.
PLUM GROVE FULL GOSPEL CHURCH — Old
Macon Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11:30 a.m.,
Tuesday 6:30 p.m., Thursday 7 p.m. Samuel B. Wilson,
Pastor.
SHILOH FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH
— 120 19th St. S. Sunday School 8:30 a.m., Worship 10
a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m., Missionary Service every 2nd
Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev. Freddie Edwards, Pastor.
JEWISH
B’NAI ISRAEL — 717 2nd Ave. N. Services Semi-
monthly. Friday 7:30 p.m. 662-329-5038
UNIVERSALIST
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST — Meeting at Temple
B’nai Israel, 1301 Marshall, Tupelo, every 1st & 3rd Sunday.
662-620-7344 or uua.org
LUTHERAN
FAITH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
(WELS) — Hwy. 45 N. and 373. Sunday School/Bible
Class 3:45 p.m., Worship 5 p.m. 662-356-4647
OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH (L.C.M.S.)
— 1211 18th Ave. N. Sunday School 9 a.m.. Worship 10 a.m.
Stan Clark, Pastor. 662-327-7747 oursaviorlutheranms.org
MENNONITE
FAITH MENNONITE FELLOWSHIP — 2988 Tarlton
Rd., Crawford. Sunday Worship 10 a.m., Sunday School 11
a.m., 2nd & 4th Sunday Worship 6 p.m., Wednesday 7:30
p.m. Kevin Yoder, Senior Pastor.
METHODIST
ARTESIA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH — 50
Church Street, Artesia. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11
a.m. Gene Merkl, Pastor.
CALEDONIA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
— 811 Main Street, Caledonia. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Worship 11 a.m. John Longmire, Pastor.
CLAIBORNE CME CHURCH — 6049 Nashville
Ferry Rd. E. 2nd and 4th Sundays - Sunday School 10a.m.,
Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m., 1st and 3rd Sundays - 3
p.m., Geneva H. Thomas, Pastor.
CONCORD INDEPENDENT METHODIST
CHURCH — 1235 Concord Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Worship 11 a.m. Robert L. Hamilton, Sr., Pastor.
COVENANT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH —
618 31st Ave. N. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.
Eugene Bramlett, Pastor.
CRAWFORD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH —
Main St., Crawford. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. and service 10
a.m. Kathy Brackett, Pastor. 662-364-8848
CROSSROAD CHAPEL CME CHURCH — Steens.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 6
p.m. Rev. Carl Swanigan, Pastor.
FIRST INDEPENDENT METHODIST — 417
Lehmberg Rd. Sunday bible study at 10:15 and morning
worship at 11 a.m. Minister Gary Shelton.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH — 602
Main St. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 8:45 & 11 a.m.
Rev. Jimmy Criddle, Lead Pastor; Rev. Anne Russell
Bradley, Associate Pastor; Rev. Aislinn Kopp, Associate
Pastor. 328-5252
FLINT HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH —
80 Old Honnoll Mill Rd., Caledonia. Sunday Worship Service
9:30 a.m. Sunday School 10:30 a.m. John Longmire, Pastor.
GLENN’S CHAPEL CME CHURCH — 1109 4th St.
S. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m. Rev. Raphael
Terry, Pastor. 662-328-1109
HEBRON CME. CHURCH — 1910 Steens Road,
Steens. Meets first, second and third Sundays, Bible class
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
each Wednesday at 7 p.m. Earnest Sanders, Pastor.
MILITARY CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH — Hwy. 12, Steens. Sunday School 9:45,
Service 11 a.m.. Meet on 2nd and 4th Sundays. Wednesday
Bible Study 6:00 p.m. Rev. Antra Geeter, Pastor. 662-327-
4263
NEW HOPE CME CHURCH — 1452 Yorkville Road
East, Columbus. Sunday School 10:00 a.m., Worship
service first, third and fourth Sunday (Youth Sunday) 11:00
a.m., Wednesday Bible Study 5:00 p.m. Rev. Cornelia
Naylor, Pastor. 662-328-5309
NEW HOPE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH —
2503 New Hope Road. Sunday Worship 8:45 a.m., Sunday
School 10 a.m., Tuesday Bible Study 5:30 p.m. Rev. Sarah
Windham, Pastor.
NEW ZION UNITED METHODIST CHURCH —
2169 S. Montgomery St., Starkville. Sunday School 9:30-
10:30 a.m., Young Adult Bible Study (ages 18-30) Thursday
6:30 p.m. Tyrone Stallings, Pastor. 662-324-0789
ORR’S CHAPEL CME CHURCH — Nicholson
Street, Brooksville. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m.,
Saturday 9 a.m.
PINEY GROVE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
— 102 Fernbank Rd., Steens. Sunday Worship 9:30 a.m.,
Sunday School 10:45 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Andy
Tentoni, Pastor.
PLAIR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH — 1579
Sun Creek Rd., Starkville. Sunday School 8:45-9:45
a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Tuesday Bible Study 6-7 p.m. Rev.
Sylvester Miller III, Pastor. 662-324-0036
SANDERS CHAPEL CME CHURCH — 521 15th
St. N. Sunday School 8 a.m., Sunday 9 a.m., Tuesday 11:45
a.m. Rev. Dr. Luther Minor, Pastor.
SHAEFFERS CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH — 1007 Shaeffers Chapel Rd., Traditional
Worship Service 9 a.m., Rev. Curtis Bray, Pastor.
ST. JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
— 722 Military Rd. Breakfast 9:10 a.m., Sunday School
9:40 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Adult/Children Bible Study
Wednesday 6 p.m. Rev. Dwight Prowell, Pastor.
ST. PAUL INDEPENDENT METHODIST
CHURCH — Freeman Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Sunday Services 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Youth activities 5 p.m.
John Powell, Pastor.
ST. PAUL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH —
307 South Cedar Street, Macon, Sunday School 9:30
a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m. , Wednesday Bible Study 6 p.m.
Demetric Darden, Pastor.
ST. STEPHEN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
— 800 Tuscaloosa Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11
a.m. and 6 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Andy Tentoni,
Pastor.
TABERNACLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
— Rt. 2, 6015 Tabernacle Rd., Ethelsville, AL. Sunday
School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday 6:30
p.m. Carol Lambert, Pastor. 205-662-3443
TRINITY-MT. CARMEL CME CHURCH — 4610
Carson Rd. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Pastor
Lizzie Harris. 662-329-3995
TURNER CHAPEL AME CHURCH — 1108 14th St.
S. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 5
p.m. Yvonne Fox, Pastor.
WESLEY UNITED METHODIST — 511 Airline Rd.
Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 10:55 a.m., Wednesday
5:15 p.m., Chancel Choir 7 p.m., Youth Monday 6:30 p.m.
Rev. Sarah Windham.
WRIGHT CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH — Hwy. 45 Alt. S., Crawford. Sunday School
9:30 a.m., Worship 10:15 a.m., Tuesday 6 p.m. Kori Bridges,
Pastor. 662-422-9013.
MORMON
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY
SAINTS — 2808 Ridge Rd. Sacrament Meeting 9 a.m.,
Sunday School 10 a.m., Priesthood & Relief Society 11 a.m.,
Youth Activities Wednesday 6 p.m. Bishop Eric Smith. 662-
328-3179.
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE — 2722
Ridge Rd. Sunday School 9:30 a.m.,Worship 10:40 a.m. and
6 p.m. Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev. Stephen Joiner, Pastor.
NON — DENOMINATIONAL
A PREPARED TABLE MINISTRY — 1201 College
St. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10:10 a.m., Wednesday
6 p.m. Timothy J. Bailey, Pastor. 662-889-7778
ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN CHURCH — 611 S.
Frontage Road. Sunday 9:30 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Craig
Morris, Pastor.
ALL NATIONS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
CHURCH, INC. — 1560 Hwy. 69 S., Sunday 9 a.m.,
Wednesday 6:45 p.m., Friday Corporate Prayer 7 p.m.
Pastor James T. Verdell, Jr. crosswayradio.com 9 a.m., 11
a.m., & 7 p.m. on Fridays only.
CALEDONIA OPEN DOOR WORSHIP CENTER
— 3288 Cal-Vernon Rd. Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10
a.m. and 5 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Randy Holmes, Pastor.
662-855-5006
COLUMBUS CHRISTIAN CENTER — 146 S.
McCrary Rd. Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m., Kid’s Church
10:30 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m., Kenny Gardner, Pastor.
662-328-3328
CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP CENTER — 109
Maxwell Lane. Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 11:15
a.m., Wednesday Prayer 6 p.m., Wednesday Bible Band 7
p.m. Grover C. Richards, Pastor. 662-328-8124
CORNERSTONE WORSHIP CENTER — 98
Harrison Rd., Steens. Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m., 1st
Sunday Evening 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Marion (Bubba)
Dees, Pastor. 662-327-4303
EMMANUEL CIRCLE OF LOVE OUTREACH —
1608 Gardner Blvd. Services every Friday, Saturday and
Sunday at 7 p.m. J. Brown, Pastor.
FAITH COVENANT CHURCH — 1133 Northdale Dr.
Sunday Worship 5:30 p.m. Lee Poque, Pastor. 662-889-
8132
FINDING YOUR WAY THROUGH CHRIST
MINISTRIES — 1472 Blocker Rd., Starkville. Sunday
School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., 2nd Sunday Morning
Worship 9 a.m. Pastor Kenyon Ashford.
FIRST CALVARY FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP
CHRISTIAN CENTER — 247 South Oliver St.,
Brooksville. Prayer Saturday 5:30 p.m., Bible Study 6 p.m.,
Sunday School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m. Pastor David
T. Jones,III. 601-345-5740
FULL GOSPEL MINISTRY — 1504 19th St. N. Sunday
School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10 a.m., Tuesday 6:30 p.m. Rev.
Maxine Hall, Pastor.
GENESIS CHURCH — 1820 23rd St. N., Sunday
School 9 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
Darren Leach, Pastor.
HOUSE OF LIFE FREEDOM MINISTRY — 1742
Old West Point Rd. Worship 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., Wednesday
6 p.m. Donnell Wicks, Pastor.
HOUSE OF RESTORATION — Hwy. 50. Sunday
School, 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.,
Wednesday 7 a.m., Pastors, Bill and Carolyn Hulen.
JESUS CHRIST POWERHOUSE OF THE
APOSTOLIC FAITH CHURCH — 622 23rd St. N.
Sunday School 10:30 a.m.; Service 11:45 a.m., Tuesday 7:30
p.m., Friday 7:30 p.m., Prayer Mon., Wed. and Fri. noon. For
more information call Bishop Ray Charles Jones 662-251-
1118, Patricia Young 662-327-3106 or 662-904-0290 or
Lynette Williams 662-327-9074.
KINGDOM VISION INTERNATIONAL CHURCH
— 3193 Hwy 69 S. Sunday 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., Sunday
School 10 a.m., Tuesday 7 p.m. Pastor R.J. Matthews. 662-
327-1960
LIFE CHURCH — 4888 N. Frontage Rd. Sunday
Worship 10 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. For more information,
call 662-570-4171
LOVE CITY FELLOWSHIP CHURCH — 305 Dr.
Martin Luther King Drive, Starkville. Sunday Worship 11
a.m., Pastor Apostle Lamorris Richardson. 601-616-0311
LIVING WATERS LIFE CHURCH
INTERNATIONAL — 113 Jefferson St., Macon.
Sunday Service 10 a.m., Wednesday Bible Study 6:30 p.m.
Johnny Birchfield Jr., Senior Pastor. 662-493-2456 E-mail:
livingwaterslifechurch@gmail.com
NEW BEGINNING EVERLASTING OUTREACH
MINISTRIES — Meets at Quality Inn, Hwy. 45 N. (Every
1st and 3rd Sunday) Sunday School 10 a.m., Bible Study
10:30 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. Pastor Robert Gavin, 662-327-
9843 or 662-497-3434.
NEW COVENANT ASSEMBLY — 875 Richardson.
Worship Service Sunday 10:30 a.m. Bruce Morgan, Pastor.
NEW HORIZONS GOSPEL ASSEMBLY — 441
18th St. S. Sunday 10 a.m. Dr. Joe L. Bowen, Pastor.
PLEASANT RIDGE HOUSE OF WORSHIP —
2651 Trinity Road. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Worship 11
a.m., Every 2nd and 4th Sunday Intercessory Prayer 9 a.m.,
SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 3B
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Pastor Donna Anthony. 662-241-0097
TABERNACLE OF MERCY (MINISTRY OF
JESUS CHRIST) — 4435 Hwy. 45 N., Sunday Service
9 a.m., Wednesday Prayer 6:30 p.m., Bible Study 7 p.m. 662-
241-6723 www.memorialgunterpeel.com
THE LORD’S HOUSE — 441 18th St. S. Thursday 7
p.m. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. 716 Second Ave. N. • Columbus, MS • 662-328-4432
THE RIVER CHURCH — 822 North Lehmberg Rd., 903 College St. • Columbus, MS • 662-328-2354
Sunday Worship 10 a.m., Children’s Church 3&4 yr. old,
5-12 yr. old. Wednesday Worship 6:45 p.m. Pastor Chuck
Eubanks.
THE SHEPHERD’S CARE & SHARE MINISTRY
CHURCH — 4068 Jess Lyons Rd., Sunday Prayer
Time 9:50 a.m., Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
Thursday Bible Study 6 p.m., Annie Hines-Goode, Planter
and Pastor. 662-630-5216
TRIBE JUDAH MINISTRIES — 730 Whitfield St.,
Starkville. Sunday Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday Bible
School 7 p.m. Rev. Greg and Rev. Michelle Mostella,
Pastors. 662-617-4088
TRUE GOSPEL EVANGELISTIC MINISTRY —
2119 7th. Ave. N., Sunday School 9 a.m., Worship 10:30
a.m., Tuesday Bible Study 6:30 p.m. Clyde and Annie
Edwards, Pastors.
TRUE LIFE CHURCH — 435 Cedarcrest Dr. (corner of
Yorkville and Cedarcrest), Sunday prayer 8:45 a.m., Worship
10 a.m., Wednesday prayer 6:30 p.m., Service 7:30 p.m.
662-798-0259
SHELTON’S TOWING, INC.
TRUE LIFE WORSHIP CENTER — 597 Main St., Since 1960
Caledonia. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 5
p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Eugene O’Mary, Pastor.
24 Hour Towing
TRUEVINE CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER 1024 Gardner Blvd.
MINISTRIES — 5450 Cal-Kolola Rd, Caledonia. Sunday
School 9:30 a.m., Worship 10:45 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m.
328-8277
Pastor Francisco Brock, Sr. 662-356-8252
UNITED FAITH INTER-DENOMINATIONAL
MINISTRIES — 1701 22nd Street North, Columbus.
Sunday Worship 8-9:30 a.m., 662-889-8711
VIBRANT CHURCH — 500 Holly Hills Rd. Sunday
8 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. The Vibe Cafe 7 a.m.,
First Wednesday 7 p.m. Age 6 weeks through 5th grade,
Champions Club (special needs children). Jason Delgado,
Pastor. 662-329-2279
WORD IN ACTION MINISTRY CHRISTIAN
CENTER — 2648 Tom St., Sturgis. Sunday School 10
a.m., Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Curtis Davis,
Pastor. 662-230-3182 or mdavis43@hotmail.com
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN
ST. CATHERINE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN
CHURCH — 725 4th Ave. N. Visit www.
stcatherineorthodox.com for schedule of services and
updates on this Mission.
APOSTOLIC PENTECOSTAL
APOSTOLIC OUTREACH CHURCH — 204 North
McCrary Rd., Prayer/Inspiration Hour Monday 6 p.m. Danny
L. Obsorne, Pastor.
DIVINE DESTINY APOSTOLIC CHURCH — 2601
14th Ave. N. Sunday School 10:30 a.m., Worship 12 p.m.,
Tuesday Bible Class 7:30 p.m. Pastor Easter Robertson.
JESUS CHRIST POWERFUL MINISTRY OF
LOVE — 1210 17th St. S., behind the Dept. of Human
Resources. Sunday School 10:30 a.m., Friday 7:30 p.m.
Gloria Jones, Pastor.
SPIRIT OF PRAYER HOLINESS CHURCH — 267
Byrnes Circle. Sunday Worship 11 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m.,
Saturday 11 a.m. Terry Outlaw, Pastor. 662-324-3539
THE ASSEMBLY IN JESUS CHRIST CHURCH
— 1504 19th St. N. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11:45
a.m. and 7 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 7 p.m.
THE CHURCH OF THE ETERNAL WORD — 106
22nd St. S. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11:30 a.m.,
Tuesday Bible Study 7 p.m., Thursday Prayer 5 p.m. District
Elder Lou J. Nabors Sr., Pastor. 662-329-1234
THE GLORIOUS CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
— Billy Kidd Road, Caledonia. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Worship 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.. Tuesday 7 p.m., Friday 7
p.m. Ernest Thomas, Pastor.
VICTORY APOSTOLIC FAITH CHURCH — 6 6
Boyd Rd., Starkville. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship Noon,
Tuesday Prayer 7 p.m., Wednesday Bible Study 7 p.m.
Mildred Spencer, Pastor. 662-341-5753
ONENESS PENTECOSTAL
NEW HOPE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH — 875
Richardson Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m.,
6 p.m., Tuesday 7 p.m. Jared Glover, Pastor. 662-251-3747
E-mail: nhpccolumbus@yahoo.com
PENTECOSTAL
FAITH AND DELIVERANCE OUT REACH
MINISTRIES — 118 S. McCrary Road, Suite 126. Sunday
10 a.m. and 11 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Christian Women
Meeting Friday 7 p.m.
LIVING FAITH TABERNACLE — Shelton St.
Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Youth
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Rev. James O. Gardner, Pastor.
LIVING WATER MINISTRIES — 622 28th St. N. Elder
Robert L. Salter, Pastor. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11
a.m., Wednesday 7:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 p.m.
SPIRIT OF PRAYER HOLINESS CHURCH — 922
17th St. N. Sunday 11 a.m., Wednesday 7 p.m., Saturday 11
a.m. Terry Outlaw, Pastor,
VICTORY TABERNACLE P.C.G. — 5580 Ridge
Road. Sunday School 10 a.m., Praise & Worship 10:45 a.m.,
Wednesday Bible Study 6:30 p.m. G.E. Wiggins Sr., Pastor.
UNITED PENTECOSTAL 1721 Hwy 45 N
CALEDONIA UNITED PENTECOSTAL
CHURCH — 5850 Caledonia Kolola Rd., Caledonia.
® Columbus, MS
Sunday 10 a.m., 6 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m. Grant Mitchell, 662.848.0919
Pastor. 662-356-0202
Monday-Saturday 10am-8pm
FIRST PENTECOSTAL CHURCH — 311 Tuscaloosa
In Style. In Reach. Sunday 1pm-5pm
Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m., Sunday Evangelistic 6p.m.,
TRINITY PLACE
Wednesday 7 p.m. Rev. Steve Blaylock, Pastor. 662-328-
1750
RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
PRESBYTERIAN
BEERSHEBA CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH — 1736 Beersheba Rd., New Hope Community. Offering independent living apartments, personal
Rev. Tim Lee, Pastor. Sunday Worship 10 a.m., Church care/assisted living suites, and a skilled nursing home
School 11:15 a.m., Wed. Mid Week 6 p.m. 662-327-9615 300 Airline Road • Columbus, MS • 327-6716
COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (EPC)
— 515 Lehmberg Rd., East Columbus. Sunday School 9:30 “Our Bottom Line Is People”
a.m., Worship 10:30 a.m., Wednesday Prayer Meeting 4 Hunting • Fishing
p.m. John Richards, Pastor. Working Or Stepping Out — We Have A Complete
FIRST CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN Line Of Clothing For You And Your Family
CHURCH — 2698 Ridge Rd. Sunday School 9:15 a.m.,
Worship 10:30 a.m., Adult Choir 4 p.m. Youth Group 5 p.m.,
Oktibbeha County Co-Op
Bible Study 5 p.m.; Monthly Activities: CPW Circle #2 (2nd Check Out Our Boot & Cap Section
Tue. 4 p.m.), Ladies Aid (3rd Tue. 2 p.m.); Weekly Activities: 662-323-1742
Exercise Class Tuesday and Thursday 8 a.m. Rev. Luke 201 Pollard Rd., Starkville
Lawson, Pastor. 662-328-2692
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH — 3200 Bluecutt
Rd. Worship 10 a.m., Youth Group Sundays 11 a.m.,
Adult Choir Wednesdays 6 p.m., Fellowship Suppers-3rd
Wednesdays 6 p.m. B.J. Chain, Pastor.
MAIN STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
(PCA) — Main and 7th St. N. Sunday School 9:30 a.m.,
Worship 10:40 a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesday Fellowship
Supper 5:30 p.m., Bible Study 6 p.m. Rev. Todd Matocha,
Pastor.
MT. ZION CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH — 3044 Wolfe Rd. Sunday School 10 a.m.,
Worship 11 a.m.
SALVATION ARMY CHURCH
THE SALVATION ARMY CHURCH — 2219 Hwy.
82 East. Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship Service 11 a.m.,
Wednesday Men’s Fellowship, Women’s Fellowship 5:30
p.m., Thursday Character Building Programs 5:30 p.m.,
Majors Alan and Sheryl Phillips, Commanding Officers.
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST
COLUMBUS SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
CHURCH — 301 Brooks Dr. Saturday Service 9 a.m.,
Sabbath School 10:30 a.m., Wednesday Prayer Meeting
6:30 p.m. Ray Elsberry, Pastor. 662-329-4311 The McBryde Family
SALEM SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST — 826 15th
St. N. Saturday Sabbath School 9:30 a.m., Divine Worship
1120 Gardner Blvd. • 328-5776
11 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Roscoe Shields, Pastor. 662-
327-9729
APOSTOLIC CHURCH
TRUE FAITH DELIVERANCE MINISTRIES
APOSTOLIC CHURCH — 3632 Hwy. 182 E. Sunday
School 10:30 a.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m., Tuesday 7:30 p.m., • RECYCLING SINCE 1956 •
Wednesday Prayer Noon, Wednesday 7:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 Specializing in industrial accounts
p.m. 662-328-8176 973 Island Rd. 1-800-759-8570
Classifieds
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The Starkville Dispatch and Online
To place ads starting at only $12,
call 662-328-2424 or visit ads.cdispatch.com
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 n 4B

Education General Help Wanted Apts For Rent: Other

Employment THE COMMERCIAL

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Real Estate
General Help Wanted
Rentals Real Estate
Ads starting at $25 Ads starting at $25
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Studio apartment for rent. 16 WIDNER IN NEW HOPE
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Apts For Rent: West Lots & Acreage

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© The Dispatch
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General Help Wanted COLUMBUS, MS
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 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 5B

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Merchandise Special Notices

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know worked out of
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6B SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Health concerns silence music at the Riverwalk

BY JAN SWOOPE Chamber of Commerce be the priority.” Bigelow added, “We thank
jswoope@cdispatch.com President Lisa James said, Barham all of you who support this

W
hat would have been a
13th summer of sun-
set concerts by the wa-
ter at the Columbus Riverwalk
has been canceled. Sounds of
Summer, a series of four free
outdoor concerts hosted by the
Columbus Lowndes Chamber
of Commerce and Main Street
Columbus, won’t take place
due to concerns for community
health during the COVID-19
outbreak. The decision was a
difficult one to make.
“As always, safety is at the
forefront of any event, thus we
felt this was the best action
to take,” said Main Street
Columbus Executive Director
Dispatch file photo
Community crowds, as seen
in this Dispatch file photo of a
previous Sounds of Summer
concert, will not be gathering
at the Columbus Riverwalk this
summer for concerts.
Barbara Bigelow. “We must
think about the public, as well
as our vendors, volunteers and
entertainers. I am definitely
saddened because this is one of
my favorite events of the year.”
“With so many professional,
collegiate and community-wide
events being canceled, we felt
it necessary to follow suit and
make the safest decision for
the members of the Columbus
Lowndes community.”
Musician Dawn Barham of
Columbus is a veteran perform-
er on the Sounds of Summer
stage with the band Juke Joint
Gypsies.
“It’s a great local event for
musicians and community,
a great family event,” she
remarked. “It’s very disappoint-
ing to see it not happening, but
always the greater good and
health of all our citizens should
applauds organiz- fabulous concert series and
ers for making
will look forward to seeing you,
the hard choices your family and your friends at
and for erring next year’s concerts.”
on the side of Sounds of Summer is made
caution, “so Barham possible through volunteers
that they’re not and sponsors. Sponsors for
putting any citizens, including
this summer’s concerts were
musicians, at risk.”
PACCAR, Edward Jones Invest-
Sounds of Summer may be
down, temporarily, but it is ments, Neel-Schaffer, Nash FM
94.9, Shipp Family Dentistry,
certainly not out.
Chamber of Commerce Bob’s Paint and Auto Body,
President Lisa James said, “We Kenneth Montgomery, Papa
are already looking forward to John’s Pizza, and Golden Tri-
next year’s Sounds of Summer, angle Radiology. For the sixth
and we’re in talks now of how year, the keynote presenting
to make it bigger and better sponsor of 2020 concert series
than ever.” was CSpire.

Armstrong
Continued from Page 1B
■■■
Balancing a passion to
write with a demanding
civic career means find-
ing what works. For Arm-
strong, early mornings
are best for writing, rather
than trying to develop his
stories after a long day’s
work at City Hall.
“My schedule is I get
up about 4 in the morning,
read for about 30 minutes
and write from 4:30 to
6:30 (a.m.),” Armstrong
said. “I’ve been doing
that since about 1999.”
He devotes most week-
ends to writing as well.
He’s inspired, in part, by
William Faulkner, whom
he describes as “probably
my favorite writer.”
Armstrong said he sel-
dom encounters “writer’s
block,” those dry spells
when words just won’t
come.
“When a story or
character appears in my
head I’ll just let it rum-
ble around for weeks,
sometimes months,” he
remarked. “But once I
start writing, it just kind
of flows.”
For “The Rising Place,”
“I had this really vivid
dream. I dreamed I was
in Oxford, standing in
the town square, and I
saw Faulkner riding this
beautiful white horse.
It was very vivid. I woke
up the next morning and
wrote the prologue to
‘The Rising Place.’
“About two or three
days later, Emily Hodge
(a prominent figure in
the book) appeared in my
head and said, you write
my story,” Armstrong
continued. “Sometimes
it’s like I’m in a theater
watching a movie on a big
screen, and I’m just writ-
ing what I’m seeing.”
He had, he said, no
predetermined plan for
where the story was
going.
“I just worked with the
flow, and other characters
appeared when they were
supposed to and exited
when they were supposed
to.”
The result is described
as a moving tale set
against the backdrop of
a small Mississippi town.
In it, David, a young
attorney, drafts a will for
Emily, an elderly spinster.
When Emily dies, David
discovers a hidden box of
letters from World War II.
What they reveal explains
why Emily lived out her
life ostracized by her
town, and why she died
alone, but certainly not
forgotten.
■■■
With two books out
this season and Arm-
strong’s first sci-fi thriller
screenplay, “Playtime,”
on a front burner, the city
official is busy before and
after office hours with
his “right brain” pursuits.
It won’t be all “ups,” he
might tell aspiring young
writers.
“Over the years I’ve
gotten enough rejection
letters and emails to pa-
per the walls of my office,”
Armstrong said candid-
ly. One, in fact, came
Wednesday. But wanting
to write means always
learning and growing, he
said.
“I grew yesterday from
that rejection,” he told
The Dispatch Thursday.
“It hit me hard, but I
learned from that. I’d
forgotten don’t get your
hopes up too high. It’s a
very subjective business;
it’s easy to get discour-
aged and you just have to
keep on keeping on.”
One story that helps
stoke the fire relates to
best-selling author and
MSU alumnus John Grish-
am.
“After he wrote ‘A Time
to Kill,’ he was turned
down by multiple liter-
ary agents until he was
picked up — and the rest
is history,” Armstrong
said. “ ... Every time you
write, you learn. It’s like
practicing a golf swing. I
compare it to that because
it’s a skill — and the more
you practice, the better
you get.”

MSMS
Continued from Page 1B
aerospace engineering.
Senior Gina Nguyen of
D’Iberville
was in Bos-
ton visiting
a brother
when she
got word
campus was
closing.
“It’s a Nguyen
weird feel-
ing that some of these
people, if we don’t get
to have the (alternate)
graduation event we
hope to at the end of July,
many of us could not see
each other for years, or
ever again,” the 18-year
old said. “We’re all going
to different parts of the
country.” Nguyen will
head to the University of
Southern California in
August to major in Rus-
sian and journalism.
Every MSMS student
expects to be challenged,
but the Class of 2020’s
108 seniors got one they
could not have envi-
sioned. As high-achiev-
ing teens, however, they
adapted as instructors
transitioned classes to a
distance learning format.
In a school where gains
in ACT scores as high as
13 points can be realized,
academics are demand-
ing.
Elizabeth Morgan,
MSMS
chemistry
instructor
and one
of three
senior class
sponsors,
said a
primary Morgan
task was
“preparing videos and
lessons that would trans-
late to online instruction
where students don’t
have immediate oppor-
tunities to ask questions
the way they would in
class.”
MSMS Executive
Director
Germain
McCon-
nell said,
“It was a
challenge
to continue
teaching
McConnell
new con-
tent during that time.
Unlike some traditional
school districts, we actu-
ally gave a grade for the
fourth quarter.”
Arnoldus said, “I do
want to thank all our
teachers for putting
together all those online
classes on such short
notice.”
In spite of the pan-
demic, the Class of 2020
acquitted themselves
well.
McConnell said, “Our
graduating class was
offered more than 28
million dollars in schol-
arships, and they accept-
ed about $10.5 million.”
Every graduating senior
will attend college, the
director added.
Pushing forward
To retain a semblance
of normalcy, administra-
tion, faculty, class spon-
sors and class officers
video conferenced to still
provide some of the ex-
periences students would
have had on campus,
even if in modified form.
Working with MUW,
plans were made for
MSMS students to return
to campus on staggered
days to move belongings
out of dorm residences.
As they arrived on cam-
pus, students detoured to
Whitfield Hall to don cap
and gown and be filmed
walking across the stage
for their diploma.
“Then (MSMS Public
Relations Coordinator)
Taylor Lewis formed
everything into what
I thought was a really
lovely video,” Morgan
remarked.
“It looked really good;
they stitched it all togeth-
er,” Arnoldus said after
watching the virtual
graduation at home.
Seniors feel their two
years at MSMS — and
their unusual semester
— have helped mold
them for what’s ahead.
“The academic part
of MSMS especially has
really prepared me with
a better mentality and
study habits for a rigor-
ous academic environ-
ment,” said Nguyen.
If health guidelines
permit, school adminis-
tration hopes to hold an
in-person farewell event
for seniors in late July
so they can say their
goodbyes.
“Our students have
great resilience,” said
McConnell. Recent chal-
lenges, he continued,
created opportunities for
the school and student
body to learn innovative
ways of doing things.
“I think for our stu-
dents, as we have told
them, our world will be
better in ways because
of this — to focus on
what they value most,
what they are most
passionate about.” He
hopes through this ex-
perience, the graduates
are encouraged to seek
resolution to some of the
problems they encounter,
now and in the future.
“I think it’s going to
drive a lot of our young
people, not just MSMS,
to find solutions,” said
the director. “I think
they’ll be seeking
solutions to some of the
world’s problems.”
Editor’s note: Eleven
MSMS 2020 graduates re-
side in the Golden Trian-
gle. See their names with
this story at cdispatch.
com, the Lifestyles link.

Visit cdispatch.com for more Lifestyles content including more about The W, info on keepings humans and pets safe from summer algae in water, Felder Rushing, school
honor rolls and Southern Gardening.

Dear Abby

D
EAR ABBY: I’m in my mid-
30s and have just been
married for the first time. I
chose not to take my husband’s
last name for several reasons. I
have a child from a previous re-
lationship who shares my name;
I have a unique name that I love;
and I am established in a career
in which name recognition is im-
portant. I am also an older bride.
Unfortunately, I didn’t discuss
it with my husband before the
wedding, although I did explain
my reasoning later.
We participate in a lot of
activities as a couple where
our names are written out, and
people often ask me why I have a different
last name. My husband is really bothered by
it and hates when people bring it up. I want to that. While most men these days would not
make him happy and make these situations
less uncomfortable, but I refuse
to change it. Am I being unreason-
able? How do I approach these
awkward situations? Should I
take his name in social situations
but just not legally? — LOVING
MY NAME IN PENNSYLVANIA
DEAR LOVING: Many women
these days have more than one
identity and more than one name.
If you are asked in a social situ-
ation why you didn’t adopt your
husband’s name, an appropriate
response would be that you are
established in your career and felt
Dear Abby changing it would be disruptive.
However, I see nothing wrong with
allowing yourself to be identified
as “Janie Smith” (“Howard Smith’s” wife) on
invitations, place cards, etc. if you’re OK with
be bothered by the fact that you have different
names, it may make your husband feel better,
and you might even come to like it.
DEAR ABBY: My wife of 15 years and I
have been separated for 2 1/2 years. I’m still
hoping to reconcile, and I haven’t moved on.
Although I’m somewhat happy being in our
home with my children, and recently our very
first puppy, I often get lonely. How do I know,
for my own good, if this is one of the doors
that’s been permanently closed? — HOLDING
ON IN VIRGINIA
DEAR HOLDING ON: One clue would be
what your wife has been doing since your
separation. Because the children live with you,
she has fewer childcare responsibilities. Is she
dating? Deeply involved with her career? Does
she ask you for advice, money, ANYthing? If
the answer to this question is no, then it’s a
safe bet that she is not interested in reconcil-
ing, and it’s time you move on with your life.
Counseling might help you to do that if you are
“stuck.”
DEAR ABBY: If you get time to read this, I
need some advice about my fiance. We have
been engaged for two years, and I recently
found out that when he dies, he is leaving
everything to his friend if his mom is no longer
living.
I gave up my place and moved an hour and
a half from my job to live with him. Should I be
upset over this? — LEFT WITH NOTHING
DEAR LEFT WITH NOTHING: Your letter is a
classic example of why it’s important that peo-
ple review their wills periodically. Your fiance’s
will may have been made before you entered
the picture. It’s important that you have a calm
and rational discussion about it. If you are still
concerned after that, then you probably should
be.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren,
also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was found-
ed by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact
Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box
69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (May 31).
You know yourself. You’re confident
and disinclined to work too hard to
please the powers that be, because
you don’t have to! You’ll naturally give
people something good to like, and
they will be predisposed to generously
support your ideas and efforts. Your
eye is primed for beauty, and you’ll
create and attract so much of it. Aries
and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 3, 33, 1, 18 and 40.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Any-
one can read subjects in agreement
with their beliefs, but the wise and
exceptionally intelligent grow their
minds by spending time with ideas
different from their own.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Love
makes you fearless; love makes you
free. If you feel afraid and caged-in,
then you’re either needlessly making
love difficult or this thing is not really
love.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your
true friend is the person who knows
you well enough to nudge you in a
good direction, realize when you’re on
track and can also clearly see when
you’re off. Bonus points for tact!
CANCER (June 22-July 22). There
is someone intent on impressing you,
despite the fact (or maybe because
of it) you are not so easily impressed.
Your reluctance only makes this per-
son try harder.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Today is
like an overly complicated television
remote control. Unless you know the
right sequence of actions, you are
unlikely to tune into the programming
of your choice.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Hon-
esty is generally the most efficient ap-
proach. It saves time and resources.
It keeps people from putting stock in
things that aren’t going to pan out.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Today
the sinner and the saint will not be
two different people; rather, they will
be two different behaviors from the
same person. Much will depend on
what you bring out in others.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).
You’d follow your purpose even if it
were unpopular. However, today, the
expectations and opinions of others
will align really well with your soul’s
best interest -- how fortuitous!
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). Beware of the one who tries too
hard to win your trust. People who
are honest and true don’t worry too
much about convincing others of their
trustworthiness.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19).
Set goals of learning instead of per-
formance. By learning, you will auto-
matically become a more competent
performer, whereas to perform well
without learning produces a success
that may be difficult to duplicate.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You
deserve the same quality of attention
you give others. When that boomer-
ang doesn’t come back, consider
throwing it somewhere it won’t get
hung up in a tree.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20).
Think about the thing just long
enough to feel that you can act in
good faith. If you keep thinking about
it past a certain point, the options
open up overwhelmingly, causing
indecision and paralysis.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 7B

SSunday
unday CComics
omics
8B SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Puzzles