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Thursday | June 18, 2020

BUSINESS MOVES
WITH MARY
‘It hurt me to my core’
The Burning
Protesters, local officials gather at courthouse
to call for Sanders’ resignation over racist comments Piano open
for business
PLUS: Rae’s Jewelry
prepares for closure
downtown
BY MARY POLLITZ
biz@cdispatch.com

T
he

Burning
Piano is
open for
business,
at long
last.
In Oc-
tober, Ben
Sala, along Mary Pollitz
with his
sister and
brother-in-law, Lisa and Stephen
Sims, started renovating the for-
mer Catfish and Chords building at
2222 Military Road into a “differ-
Claire Hassler/Dispatch Staff ent kind of bar.”
City officials and other community leaders cheer as District 41 Rep. Kabir Karriem speaks during a protest de-
They hoped to bring a mature
manding Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders’ resignation on Wednesday on the Lown-
des County Courthouse lawn. “His comments spewed hatred and a gross misrepresentation of history,” Karriem atmosphere with live music and
said. He then posed these questions to the crowd: “Can we grow if Harry Sanders continues to be one of the quality food, but the opening of the
leaders of our county? With views such as his, do we expect industry to continue to come here? Are you comfort- See BUSINESS, 3A
able with a leader who has such a skewed misrepresentation of history? Should we expect more?”

BY YUE STELLA YU
syu@cdispatch.com

Sherry Ellis had everything she needed: a sewing ma- NAACP to hold
chine and fabric she saved for cloth masks.
Within five minutes, Ellis said, she fashioned herself a Juneteenth
T-shirt instead. It read, “Racism is wrong. #Resign.”
Wearing that shirt, Ellis joined more than 100 protest-
ers, local officials and community leaders at the Lowndes
celebration
County Courthouse Wednesday morning to call for county
Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders’ resignation
in Starkville
over his recent racist remarks.
Sanders, who voted with two other white supervisors
Parade scheduled in
during a Monday meeting to leave the century-old Con-
federate monument at the courthouse lawn in place, told
downtown Columbus
The Dispatch after the meeting he thinks blacks remain
“dependent” since slavery ended and are the only ethnicity
on Saturday, march in
not assimilating to American society. West Point on Friday
See SANDERS, 6A
BY SLIM SMITH
ssmith@cdispatch.com

In normal times, Juneteenth is

RIGHT: Julie Richards, left, and Stephanie Williams hug narrowly defined.
each other during a protest demanding Lowndes County It commemorates the day, June
Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders’ resignation
19, 1865, when the last of the re-
on Wednesday on the Lowndes County Courthouse lawn.
Richards and Williams met six years ago when their sons maining slaves in the U.S. were
played soccer together and they’ve been friends ever since. Claire Hassler/Dispatch Staff notified of their emancipation fol-
lowing the end of the Civil War two
months earlier.
See JUNETEENTH, 6A

Oktibbeha supervisors approve $3.16 East Poor House Road,

as shown on Tues-
day in Starkville. Poor

million road plan for next four years
Montgomery: Pandemic
reduces costs of road
construction materials
BY TESS VRBIN
tvrbin@cdispatch.com
Oktibbeha supervisors unani-
mously approved a $3.16 million,
four-year road project plan Monday
House Road in southern
Starkville and Oktibbeha
County (District 4) will be
after postponing the
vote at their previous
completely repaved as
part of the county supervi-
meeting.
The proposed
sors’ four-year road plan,
approved unanimously
projects total 35.69
miles of 53 coun-
Monday. The project is
expected to cost about
$637,000. Supervisors
ty roads and range are alloted $537,000 per
from resurfacing or district, but they expect
removing debris to Montgomery internet sales tax and
completely converting some roads lottery money to cover the
from gravel to pavement. extra project costs.
See OKTIBBEHA, 3A Claire Hassler/Dispatch Staff

WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC

1 Which airline began the first transat- MEETINGS
lantic passenger service in 1939? June 25: Clay County
2 Which popular fruit’s name comes Board of Supervisors, 9
from the Arabic word for “finger”? a.m. Courthouse
3 Which small, aquatic animal is able
June 30: Lowndes Coun-
to withstand the vacuum of space,
and generally makes it living sucking ty Board of Supervisors
Karson Hughes the juices out of plants? meeting, 9 a.m., Lown-
4 What was the first toy to be adver- des County Courthouse
Fifth grade, Annunciation
tised on television, back in 1952? July 6: Lowndes County

87 Low 65
5 What are Italy’s two largest islands?
Board of Supervisors
High Answers, 6B meeting, 9 a.m., Lown-
Mostly sunny des County Courthouse
Full forecast on
July 7: Columbus City
page 3A.
Council, Municipal Com-
plex, 5 p.m. facebook.
INSIDE com/CityofColumbusMS/
Business 5B Dear Abby 3B July 15: Lowndes County
Classifieds 6B Obituaries 5A Gail Stevens lives in Columbus and owns Board of Supervisors
Comics 3B Opinions 4A Park Place Boutique & Salon. Stevens has meeting, 9 a.m., Lown-
141st Year, No. 84 Crossword 6B lived in Columbus for 25 years. des County Courthouse

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

White lawmaker likens abortion

limits to civil rights issue
‘It’s time that Mississippi lawmakers stop
wasting time and energy on trying to police the
reproductive lives of Mississippians’
Laurie Bertram Roberts , co-founder and director
of Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund
BY EMILY WAGSTER PET TUS
The Associated Press
JACKSON — A white Republi-
can lawmaker invoked the name of
a black civil rights leader Wednes-
day as the Mississippi Senate ad-
vanced a bill to ban abortion based
on the race, sex or genetic anoma-
lies of a fetus.
The bill is expected to go soon to
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who
favors more limits on abortion in a
state that already has some of the
strictest laws in the U.S.
Supporters said the bill would
prevent abortion for Down syn-
drome or other conditions. Oppo-
nents said it would unconstitution-
ally interfere with private medical
decisions.
Republican Sen. Joey Fillingane
of Sumrall said the new restrictions
would prevent race-based discrimi-
nation before birth.
Fillingane, who is white, men-
tioned the late civil rights activist
Fannie Lou Hamer, an African
American who was a leader of the
Mississippi Freedom Democrat-
ic Party in the 1960s. Hamer un-
derwent surgery in 1961 to have a
tumor removed from her uterus.
Without her permission, the white
physician performed a hysterecto-
my on Hamer.
“This is a situation that harkens
back to a very dark past,” Fillingane
said.
Laurie Bertram Roberts of Jack-
son is co-founder and director of
Mississippi Reproductive Freedom
Fund, which helps women pay for
abortions.
“As a disabled black mother, I
reject the disingenuous invoking
of race, gender and disability while
lawmakers refuse to enact policies
to create true equity and equality,”
Roberts said in a statement. “It’s
time that Mississippi lawmakers
stop wasting time and energy on
trying to police the reproductive
lives of Mississippians.”
Other states have been sued
over similar laws, and opponents
questioned whether Mississippi is
inviting another lawsuit even as the
state is still defending itself in law-
suits over previous restrictions.
“There are some fights that are
just worth fighting,” Republican
Sen. Jenifer Branning of Philadel-
phia said Wednesday.
With the addition of conservative
justices to the U.S. Supreme Court
in recent years, several states have
enacted abortion restrictions. Some
laws are aimed at spurring court
challenges seeking to overturn
Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Su-
preme Court ruling that legalized
abortion nationwide.
Democratic Sen. Derrick Sim-
mons of Greenville opposed the bill,
seeking an amendment that said:
“A woman’s reproductive decisions
shall be made by the woman, her
family, her physician and her God.”
Senators rejected that in a vote that
fell mostly along party lines.
The bill would set a prison sen-
tence of up to 10 years for any phy-
sician or other health care worker
who knowingly violates the ban.
The bill specifies that the woman
getting the abortion would not be
punished, and the ban would not
apply if the woman faces a medical
emergency because of the pregnan-
cy.

Ex-Louisiana warden confirmed as Mississippi prisons leader

Cain said he intends to improve the state’s prison system
by expanding the role of religion and ensuring that
inmates receive better food, recreation and job training
BY EMILY
WAGSTER PET TUS
The Associated Press
JACKSON — Missis-
sippi senators on Wednes-
day confirmed a new state
corrections commission-
er who said he intends
to improve the state’s
troubled prison system
by expanding the role of
religion and ensuring that
inmates receive better
food, recreation and job
training.
Burl Cain, 77, is a for-
mer warden of Angola
prison in Louisiana, and
he faced ethics ques-
tions in that state. Cain
has been working as the
Mississippi corrections
commissioner since May
20, when Republican Gov.
Tate Reeves announced
he was nominating him
to the $132,000-a-year job
after a nationwide search.
Senate Corrections
Committee members said
during a confirmation
hearing Tuesday that a
background report by a
Mississippi legislative
watchdog group cleared
any concerns they had
about Cain’s ethics is-
sues in Louisiana. But,
members of the commit-
tee would not release the
report to The Associated
Press, citing confidential-
ity.
Mississippi’s prison
system is under feder-
al investigation and has
struggled for years with
tight budgets, short staff-
ing and shoddy living con-
ditions.
Two lawsuits filed on
behalf of inmates say that
the Mississippi State Pen-
itentiary at Parchman is
dangerous, vermin-infest-
ed and unfit for human
habitation.
“We’re going to fix
Parchman,” Cain said
Tuesday.
Mississippi has one of
the highest incarceration
rates in the nation. The
U.S. Justice Department
announced in February
that it is investigating the
state prison system af-
ter several inmates were
killed or injured in out-
bursts of violence in late
December and early Jan-
uary.
During his 21-year ten-
ure at Angola, Cain was
credited with improving
conditions and decreas-
ing violence. He was also
known for expanding re-
ligious outreach. After
his 2016 resignation, a
Louisiana Legislative Au-
ditor’s Office report said
nearly $28,000 in public
money was used for the
unauthorized purchase of
appliances and household
furnishings for Cain’s
home on prison grounds.
It also said Cain’s rela-
tives stayed overnight in
state-owned homes at the
prison nearly 200 times.
Cain resigned a year
before the audit was is-
sued, after reports by The
Advocate about his pri-
vate real estate dealings.
The newspaper reported
that Cain sold interests
in tracts of land to two
developers who were
friends or family of two
Angola inmates convicted
of murder, raising ques-
tions about whether Cain
had violated corrections
policy.
“I’ve been thorough-
ly investigated, and I’ve
come out clean,” Cain
said Tuesday.
A previous Mississippi
corrections commission-
er, Christopher Epps, is in
federal prison after plead-
ing guilty in 2015 to mon-
ey laundering and filing
false tax returns. Prose-
cutors said he took near-
ly $1.5 million in bribes
from contractors doing
business with Mississippi
prisons.

Charleston officials to remove statue of slavery advocate

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBIA, S.C. —
Despite a South Caroli-
na law protecting mon-
uments, officials in the
historic city of Charleston
announced Wednesday
that they plan to remove a
statue of slavery advocate
John C. Calhoun from a
downtown square.
Mayor John Tecklen-
burg announced he will
send a resolution to the
City Council to remove the
statue at a news confer-
ence on the fifth anniver-
sary of the slaying of eight
black church members
and their pastor in Dylann
Roof’s racist attack at a
downtown Charleston
church. The move comes
as monuments to Confed-
erates and other histori-
cal figures who repressed
or oppressed other people
are being removed across
the country.
“What a beautiful show
of support from our City
Council,” Tecklenburg
said, adding that he was
happy to see so many
come together in the ef-
fort “not to erase our long
and often tragic history
but to begin to write a
new and more equitable
future.” The mayor antic-
ipated the statue will go to
a local museum or educa-
tional institution.

Business
Continued from Page 1A
piano bar in Columbus
was pushed back due to
COVID-19.
But it’s here, folks.
The Burning Piano will
host nightly entertain-
ment, high-end food
and cocktails in a fully
renovated space.
Be on the lookout for
weekday happy hour
from 4-6 p.m. If you’re
interested in checking
out the new space, head
over to The Burning
Piano Monday through
Thursday from 4-11 p.m.,
Friday and Saturday 4
p.m.-1 a.m. and Sundays
from 4-10 p.m.
There’s bad news
moving toward downtown
with a local fixture clos-
ing soon.
After more than 50
years in Columbus, Rae’s
Jewelry, 110 Fifth St. S.,
will officially close.
In 2000, Pete Creek-
more purchased Rae’s
but according to a press
release he is finally ready
to retire. Though plans to
close the store have been
in motion for the past six
months, Creekmore said
he’ll miss the customers
and friends he’s worked
with for nearly two de-
cades.
“I’ll miss the people
I talk to every day,”
Creekmore said in a
press release. “We have
multiple generations of
customers shopping. We
know our customers,
their children and their
grandchildren. …We hold
Oktibbeha
Continued from Page 1A
Each of the five dis-
tricts is allotted $537,000
for the list of roads to re-
pair, but the estimated
costs of all five lists total
between $80,000 and
$120,000 more than their
budgets, though the dol-
lar amounts are based
on past costs for work on
each road and are not set
in stone.
Supervisors said they
hope the county will take
in enough extra funds via
the state lottery and in-
ternet sales tax, both ap-
proved by the state Leg-
islature in 2018, to cover
the excess cost of the road
projects.
“It’s not out of the
question to get these
roads done, with all the
different monies coming
in over time,” Board Pres-
ident John Montgomery
of District 1 told The Dis-
patch.
The county received
$104,000 in internet sales
tax money in January,
and county leaders have
said in the past that road
projects would be a good
use of the funding, which
is expected to raise an
annual $50 million for the
state.
Eighty percent of the
expected $100 million
from the state lottery will
fund road and bridge re-
pairs statewide. Oktibbe-
8 residents, 3 employees at Oktibbeha
senior center test positive for COVID-19
DISPATCH STAFF REPORT
Eight residents and
three employees at Mont-
gomery Gardens Senior
Living west of Starkville
have tested positive for the
COVID-19 coronavirus,
according to a Wednesday
press release from the fa-
cility’s parent company,
Americare Senior Living.
All eight residents have
been moved to the facili-
ty’s new COVID-19 care
The Dispatch
of our customers receive their paper on time. (Believe us. We track these things.)
If you are unhappy with your delivery please let us know. Our goal is 100%
customer satisfaction. Call customer support at: 662-328-2424
fond memories. This has
been a happy business,
and we’ve enjoyed being
a part of celebrating all
those happy occasions.”
The going-out-of-busi-
ness sale will start June
23, with up to 70 percent
off merchandise and will
continue until all invento-
ry is gone.
Those shopping for
something special for a
special someone can visit
Rae’s Tuesday through
Friday from 9:30 a.m.-
5:30 p.m. and Saturday
from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
As COVID-19 restric-
tions ease, more and
more companies are
beginning to reopen in
the Golden Triangle.
Skate Odyssey in
Starkville and Colum-
bus are both open after
more than two months of
closure.
Both skating rinks
are taking precautions,
but for the skaters it may
seem business as usual.
The skating rinks
will operate at 50-per-
cent capacity, only allow
groups of 10 or fewer and
encourage others to wear
masks. The staff will also
sanitize highly frequent-
ed areas on a regular
basis and close various
arcade games to avoid
passing germs.
These two skating
rinks have been in the
Golden Triangle for
more than 30 years and
are family owned and
operated.
ONLINE
n MAP: View a map of Oktib-
beha County’s 2020-23 road
plan at cdispatch.com
ha County has not yet re-
ceived any lottery money.
The COVID-19 coro-
navirus pandemic has
lowered fuel prices, so the
petroleum-based materi-
als for road work are also
cheaper than they used
to be and could lower
the costs of the projects,
Montgomery said.
District 3 Supervisor
Marvell Howard agreed
that the entire plan could
be finished by the end of
2023 as long as “we have
several months of pretty
good weather like we nor-
mally do.”
The five roads that will
be the county’s top priori-
ty are Jeff Peay, Cannon,
Harrell, Rice and Poor
House roads, one in each
district, per a unanimous
board vote at the June
1 meeting. Poor House
Road is in both Districts
4 and 5, and District 4 Su-
pervisor Bricklee Miller
decided to invest her en-
tire budget in the entire-
ty of Poor House Road,
about 4.27 miles between
Old Highway 25 and Ok-
toc Road.
Construction crews
replaced the base of Poor
wing, where they are sep-
arated by a physical bar-
rier from the rest of the
residents. The employees
in the COVID-19 wing use
separate medical equip-
ment, wear personal pro-
tective gear and do not en-
ter the rest of the building,
the press release states.
All Montgomery Gar-
dens residents are quaran-
tined in their own rooms
and have been since June
12, when the first em-
99.49%
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Check out the skate
rink Tuesday 1-5 p.m. and
7-9:30 p.m, Friday from
7-11 p.m., Saturday 2-10
p.m. and Sunday 2-5 p.m.
On Tuesdays, from 7-9:30
p.m., it’s all you can eat
pizza and skate rental for
just $10.
And the business news
continues in Columbus!
The Competitive Edge,
2322 Hwy. 45 N., is
officially open. TCE is a
training facility designed
to help people train not
only what they see, but
how quickly they process
it through a series of
brain training activities.
Owner, Angie Hus-
kison said this idea has
been a number of years
in the making. Though
geared toward athletes
and sport training, Hus-
kison said anyone can
benefit from TCE.
To celebrate its grand
opening, customers can
secure 20-percent off
training packages if you
sign up before June 22.
You can even tour the
training facility through
Saturday from noon to 7
p.m.
Summer business
hours will be Monday
through Thursday noon
to 6 p.m. and by appoint-
ment only after summer
ends.
Moving to Starkville,
a department store will
soon close.
Stage Stores Inc.
announced in January
Starkville’s Goody’s
Howard Miller
House Road in the fall of
2019 in order to prepare
it for the repaving Mill-
er said is included in the
four-year plan. A $10 mil-
lion bond issue passed in
2017 allowed the county
to finish most of the roads
on last term’s four-year
plan, including many in
District 4.
“A lot of roads got re-
surfaced or maintenanced
in Sturgis and Longview,
so Poor House was some-
thing we just did the base
repair on, and we’re going
to go back this time and
(apply) blacktop,” Miller
said.
Jeff Peay Road and Har-
rell Road are gravel roads
that will be built from the
base as paved roads, and
some roads in residential
areas will be redone, spe-
cifically Cannon Road in
District 2 and the Sunset
neighborhood southwest
of Starkville in District 1.
District 2 Supervisor
Orlando Trainer said he
would like the board to
pass another bond is-
ployee tested positive for
COVID-19. Employees
wear N95 face masks at
all times and monitor pa-
tients for COVID-19 symp-
toms every four hours, the
release states.
Americare canceled
group activities in its se-
nior living facilities and
prohibited outside visitors
on March 13. The compa-
ny did not allow interviews
from reporters.
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 3A
Oktibbeha jail employees
on Highway 12 would
transition to Gordman’s,
and inmates test positive
an off-price department
store. Gordman’s official-
ly opened in March just
for COVID-19
a few months ago. Now, BY TESS VRBIN
like many other stores, tvrbin@cdispatch.com
Starkville’s Gordman’s
has posted store closing The Oktibbeha County Jail implemented
signs and will shutter in stronger safety protocols after a few inmates
the near future. and employees tested positive for the COVID-19
Customers can save coronavirus in the last couple weeks, head jailer
10- to 40-percent off all Shawn Word told The Dispatch.
merchandise with the The inmates that tested positive and do not
store closing sale. show symptoms have been in quarantine for
Stage Stores Inc. almost two weeks, and the ones that did show
CEO Michael Glazer, symptoms received medical treatment, Word
the parent company for
said. Employees who tested positive were sent
Gordman’s, announced
home for two weeks.
the company filed for
Word said he did not know exactly how many
Chapter 11 bankruptcy
due to COVID-19. inmates and employees tested positive but esti-
The MAFES cheese mated about 30 people were tested.
store on Mississippi State Since March, all inmates are screened for
University’s campus is symptoms as soon as they are booked into the
back open! The beloved jail and are quarantined regardless of tempera-
cheese store, which sells ture or symptoms, Capt. Brett Watson said.
ice cream, milk, cheese They are moved to the general population if they
and more, closed in mid- do not show COVID-19 symptoms after 14 days,
March due to COVID-19 unless they are released before then.
but is now open and ready In addition to quarantine protocols, employ-
for customers. ees wear gloves and protective face masks and
We saw it last week in are disinfecting the jail three times a day, and
Columbus and we very inmates are provided with masks to wear if they
well may see this becom- are moved from one zone to another, Word said.
ing a trend. The Clay and Lowndes county jails have had
Rick’s, Starkville bar no confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to
on Martin Luther King, Lowndes County Chief Deputy Brent Swan and
will be closed until fur- Clay County Jail Officer Latisha Nance.
ther notice. The business
announced on Facebook
an employee tested
positive for COVID-19 on
June 13.
Stay up to date with
Rick’s social media to
keep up with businesses
changes and updates.
sue, and the board voted
June 1 to research the
option, but Montgomery
and Miller said they did
not want to raise taxes
when citizens are already
struggling due to the pan-
demic.
“From what I’m hear-
ing from the public every
day, I don’t think there’s
an appetite right now to
float another bond, to
borrow more money,”
Montgomery told The
Dispatch.
He said many of the
projects will start “taking
shape” in the next 10 to
12 months, and he said
the supervisors could
save money by working
together to bid out their
projects as a group rather
than individually.
“That’s where you get
a better price because of
the sheer volume of the
projects we’re going to
do,” he said. “Especially
with fuel prices down,
it’s a good opportunity
— within the budget we
have — to use the money
now to get these roads up-
graded.”
SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates
peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Thurs. Fri.
Major 10:30p —
Minor 4:26a 5:02a
Major 10:52a 11:04a
Minor 6:24p 7:22p
Courtesy of Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
The Dispatch
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Phone: 662-328-2424
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Opinion
4A THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 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

OUR VIEW
Hosemann has likely killed flag change legislation
T
he effort to change
Mississippi’s con-
troversial state flag
through legislation is likely
over. It’s demise comes from
a somewhat unexpected
source.
When Delbert Hosemann
was elected as Lieutenant
Governor in November,
most viewed it as a move
away from the conservatism
extremism that has domi-
nated state government for
a decade.
During his tenure as Sec-
retary of State and during
his most recent campaign,
Hosemann displayed little of
the partisanship that divides
Mississippians.
As for the flag, Hose-
mann’s position was that our
state needed a flag all Mis-
sissippians could embrace,
but said it was a decision
that should be left up to the
voter, not the Legislature.
But in recent weeks,
there has been a ground-
swell of support for making
the change via legislation.
Two largely conservative
groups — The Mississippi
Economic Council (essen-
tially the state’s chamber of
commerce) and the Delta
Commission, whose power
and influence has tilted
heavily to conservative poli-
cies, both issued statements
saying the Legislature
should take on the responsi-
bility of removing the flag.
That sentiment is evident
in both chambers of the
Legislature where it has
gained support from both
Republicans and Demo-
crats.
Rather than a bill, the
measure was presented as
a joint resolution, which
means both chambers
would have to pass it.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Voice of the people
Open letters to Harry Sanders
I’m a black man from Columbus
who’s served 13 honorable years and
counting in the United States Air
Force. I joined at 18 so I wouldn’t
be “dependent“ on my parents. I’ve
traveled the world, but I decided to
come home to Columbus because I felt
I could make a huge difference and in-
spire thousands of youth in the Golden
Triangle area. Mr. Sanders, I “manage”
a team that’s responsible for a $20+
million IT network. On my same team
are “blacks” who help create pilots.
The safety of those pilots are “depen-
dent” on us everyday. I’ve “earned” a
Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree while
maintaining and excelling at my full
time job. I wasn’t forged the latitude of
“dependency” to live off my parents as I
pursued my education. Sir, I had to get
it out the mud! I bought my first car at
19, and I made every payment on my
own “dependent” on no one. Mr. Sand-
ers, what saddens me the most is that
you took an oath. The same oath you’ve
taken and I have also several times. To
support and defend the constitution
of the United States for the citizens of
Lowndes County against “all enemies
foreign and domestic; without any
mental reservation. Sir, on numerous
occasions I’ve defended you as a leader
because I know how tough leadership
can be. However, Mr. Sanders, I’ve lost
confidence in your ability to lead with
your recent comments on blacks and
slavery. They were unbecoming of a
leader of 23K people. You’ve served
your time and I commend you for that,
but at this point you’re in the way!
Please, Get your knee off my neck!
Signed Registered District Voter,
Quincy Harris
Harry Sanders and other whites
have lived in dependency on blacks for
their wealth and success, so who really
has a dependency problem? Harry
Sanders is as cavalier with his words as
Derek Chauvin was with his knee on
George Floyd’s neck. We want to say to
Harry Sanders “Get your knee off our
necks.” That is our message to Harry
Sanders “Get your knee off our necks.”
John Henry Smith
Columbus
I CAN’T BREATHE! This is anoth-
er example of what it is like to have a
knee on a person’s neck. I was deeply
offended by the remarks made by
Harry Sanders in The Dispatch. His
comments were racist, belligerent, and
bold. His statements angered me both
as an Afro-American and as a resident
of Lowndes County. The Afro-Ameri-
can Community in this county will not
stand by and allow him such a platform
to insult and disparage us as a people
simply because we lift our voice for
change. How can he serve 46% of the
community who are African Ameri-
cans and yet make such slanderous
remarks? We contribute just as much
to the growth of the community as
any other race. For Sanders to feel so
emboldened to spur his deeply rooted
prejudice thoughts out loud is evidence
that change needs to happen, and it
needs to happen now.
He no longer speaks for this commu-
nity, his views do not reflect the direc-
tion we wish to journey in order to pro-
mote solidarity among neighbors, nor
is his century old thoughts welcomed
in 2020. Just like the monuments that
stands outside the courthouse, Sanders
is a living replica of what is old and
needs to be moved.
For Afro-Americans, the history
of the confederacy is not a celebrated
memory, and the monuments that por-
tray civil war soldiers and generals out-
side the courthouse should not be in a
place where justice and freedom should
ring for all races, religions, ethnicities,
and sex. Also, the racist painting in the
post office should be removed. It is not
a welcomed sight for us or our children.
It was the ‘slaves’ who has made
people like you dependent. We (Af-
ro-Americans) did everything. We took
care of you, your household, your chil-
dren, your cooking, your farming. We
did it all, and we did it for free. It was
our hands that made you prosperous.
And yet, to keep us suppressed, bro-
ken, and without hope, slave families
were separated and sold, beaten and
raped.
You feel privileged. You feel so
privileged that you think you can make
these racist comments and we will
remain silent. No, Sir…not today. You
will step down, or we together, both
blacks and whites, will vote you out. We
will stand and we will not run. Look up,
and look around, today is a new day.
I am calling on Harry Sanders to
apologize to the African American peo-
ple here in Lowndes County. If we do
not hold him accountable, then he will
only grow bolder in his remarks, and
those who vote along with him will also
be influenced to do likewise.
Kim Thomas
Columbus
We, the undersigned, write to
express our strongest disagreement
with the statement of Supervisor Harry
Sanders of Lowndes County who said,
“... The African Americans. You know
why? In my opinion, they were slaves.
And because of that, they didn’t have
to go out and earn and money, they
didn’t have to anything. Whoever
owned them took care of them, fed,
them, clothed the, worked them. They
became dependent, and that dependen-
cy is still there.”
No one purporting to represent the
proud, diverse population of Missis-
sippi should ever contemplate such
a sentiment, much less proclaim it.
Perhaps he world be interested in what
President Abraham Lincoln, also a
Republican, had to say on the subject
of slavery — “I have always thought
that all men should be free; but if any
should be slaves it should be first those
who desire it for themselves, and sec-
ondly those who desire it for others.”
Mr. Sanders’ ill-considered allega-
tions run counter to every effort we
and our colleagues have worked hard
to achieve — to help bring about a re-
spectful, cooperative atmosphere here
in Mississippi.
As elected officials ourselves, we
believe that the people of Mississippi
deserve public servants who respect,
honor and uphold the dignity of all of
their constituents.
We are pledged to do our part to
help continue the effort to recognize
and respect each other. We urge others
in public service to do the same.
Rep. Shanda Yates, Rep. Tommy
Reynolds, Rep. Kent McCarty
and Rep. Jansen Owen
Miss. House of Representatives
My public thanks to Leroy Brooks
At the age of 69 years, this is my very
first letter to any publication.
About 35 years ago, I was returning
home with my 5-year-old daughter one
night from
Starkville, where we had attended a
circus. While driving on Highway 82
in my old Toyota, we experienced a flat
tire. As I had no idea how to change a
tire, and cell phones were not as prev-
alent as they are today, I proceeded to
gather my daughter and start to walk to
a friend’s house, who resided on the riv-
er. I had walked only a short distance,
when a car pulled up. The driver im-
mediately rolled down his window and
introduced himself as Leroy Brooks (of
course I had immediately recognized
him). He stated that I should neither
leave my car pulled over on the highway
nor make myself vulnerable while on
foot. We immediately took shelter in his
vehicle. I expected him to simply drive
me into town to get help and leave it
at that. But instead we returned to my
vehicle, where he changed my tire. (I
think he was returning from teaching
his class at MSU — he seemed fresh
and nicely dressed.) But he sweated
and worked to change that tire and re-
fused to accept compensation from me.
Then he followed us into Columbus and
waved as we exited.
Leroy is a perfect example of a
gentleman who possesses true integ-
rity. Lowndes County government is
very lucky that he dedicates so much of
his energy and time to making things
better for its residents.
I have moved away from Columbus,
but I still keep up with your local news.
When considering recent events, I felt
compelled to share my experience with
a broader audience. I’ve never forgotten
his kindness.
Jean Crowder
Macon, Georgia
Comments on recent events
We are seeing a segment of society
using the tragic death of a black man
by the hand of a bad white policeman
to riot, destroy, loot and burn. It doesn’t
help when a member of our local press
writes a disparaging editorial about the
state attorney general, about charges
being dropped against a Columbus
policeman. Our local DA is complaining
now because he didn’t prosecute the
case. Could it be that the evidence was
not strong enough that the “ole pass the
buck” was used to take the pressure off
him? Now we have an individual driving
from Atlanta to fan the racial flames
here in the “Friendly City.”
A funny thing is the most destructive
riots have been in cities run by Demo-
cratic administration. This says a lot.
If the police are the bad guys, who are
you going to call if you need help? Now
Mr. Slim Smith is disappointed in the
public support of the “protest.” Maybe
the majority of the citizens are worried
about the job, health and their families’
future. Does Mr. Smith want looting,
burning and civil unrest in the “Friend-
ly City”?
Now another move to change our
flag. Let’s change it. We’ll see if that has
kept the state from prospering. Then
some local race-baiters want to remove
a Civil War monument in front of the
county court house. Will that stop the
complaints about our history? To know
history, is so that the bad part will not
be repeated. Should all the antebellum
homes be torn down? Some of them
were probably built by slave labor in the
day. Should cotton be outlawed because
of the history it has? What about the
graves in Friendship Cemetery where
the Confederate soldiers are buried?
Where is the end of this madness?
I’m not denying that racism exists.
It does. But there is racism on both
sides. We are all American, a little love
for your fellow man will go a long way.
I have been taught to look at the heart,
not the color of the skin. We have other
issues like jobs, education, city infra-
structure and the common welfare of
our nation and city to be concerned
about. The race-baiters out there would
be better served if you would spend
your effort to improve things rather
than tearing it down and creating dis-
course. Stereotyping all police by the
actions of one or two is wrong. Nine-
ty-nine percent of cops want to serve,
because they are not in it for the money.
Same goes for our military.
I think it’s time for a little civility,
brotherly love and common sense
again.
God Bless America!
Lee Roy Lollar
Columbus
A brief history of
the Confederate monument
As tension continues to rise national-
ly, protesters and politicians are work-
ing hand-and-hand to create a comfort-
able environment so that as Americans
we can have a better tomorrow. One of
the main topics that locals have been
discussing is the current display of
Confederate and racially biased memo-
rabilia still being displayed. Our area is
considering the removal of the Confed-
erate statue placed downtown near the
county courthouse. Many questions
have been raised recently on why it’s
still around. Thanks to our local library,
the questions can be laid to rest.
The Confederate statue was un-
veiled back in 1894 and erected in 1912
by several groups. Founded officially
in 1896, 75 members of the United
Daughters of the Confederacy held
weekly meetings to discuss possible
ways to raise money and awareness to
preserve their local heroes and heri-
tage. Before they were founded, some
members played a big role in placing
the first Confederate monument in
Friendship Cemetery back in 1874. The
cost of that monument during that time
was $2,700, which by today‘s standards
would be worth around $63,000. The
Confederate statue that was placed by
the courthouse, however, was almost
doubled that value: $4,000, which today
would be worth around $93,000. This
statue was also valued by local citizens
during that time as well because it was
to honor the Soldiers of Lowndes Coun-
ty who died nobly for the defense of the
Southern Confederacy.
On the list of proclaimed heroes
during that time, Stephen D. Lee was
considered Mississippi’s greatest hero
and educator. He served as the presi-
dent of Agricultural and Mechanical
Institute for 19 years at Mississippi
State University, was one of the men
who opened fire on Fort Sumter, was
one the organizers and builders of the
First Baptist Church in Columbus, was
a state senator, founded A & M College,
and was one of the three Commission-
ers of the National Park at Vicksburg.
He was even endorsed by President
McKinley, President Roosevelt and
(Confederate) President Jefferson
Davis. He was buried in Friendship
Cemetery, where he was draped with
a Confederate flag and was also giv-
en a U.S. flag by President Roosevelt
himself.
Columbus no longer observes and
holds festivals to honor those who
fought for the Confederacy. It is now
considered a negative, dark reminder of
a past a majority of citizens don’t want
to think about. Most citizens today don’t
know the true meaning behind this
statue and what it’s symbolizing. But
this monument itself emits an energy of
misunderstanding and dehumanization.
As time moves forward, the city of Co-
lumbus no longer feels that way about
the ideology of the Confederacy, nor do
they feel that way about Stephen D. Lee,
who has faded into the past. And as
we continue to move forward as a city,
a state, a nation, a race, we must ask
ourselves: Is this a history that we want
to continue to show to our children?
Clinton McFarland
Columbus
A letter to the editor is an excellent
way to participate in your community. We
request the tone of your letters be con-
structive and respectful and the length be
limited to 450 words. We reserve the right
to edit letters for clarity, grammar and
length. While commentary on national
issues is always welcome, we limit candi-
date endorsements to one per letter-writer.
We welcome all letters emailed to voice@
cdispatch.com or mailed to The Dispatch,
Attn: Letters to the Editor, PO Box 511,
Columbus, MS 39703-0511.

Mississippi sees jump in virus after lifting restrictions
‘I’m concerned that people are losing interest in the
effort to keep each other safe. We are all tired and ready
to be done, but the virus doesn’t care. Please be on your
guard — small efforts have a big impact!’
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JACKSON — Mis-
sissippi reported one
of its largest single-day
increases in cases of
the new coronavirus on
Wednesday, more than
two weeks after Republi-
can Gov. Tate Reeves lift-
ed most of the restrictions
Hundreds attend funeral of slain
Mississippi deputy sheriff
Simpson County deputy was killed
Friday while taking a man to a mental
health facility under a court order
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MENDENHALL — A
Mississippi deputy sheriff
who was shot to death on
the job had a lifelong com-
mitment to public safety,
his boss said Wednesday
as hundreds of people
gathered for the deputy’s
funeral.
Simpson County dep-
uty James Blair, 77, was
killed Friday while taking
COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
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tion including visitation and
service times, are provided
free of charge. Extended
obituaries with a photograph,
detailed biographical informa-
tion and other details families
may wish to include, are avail-
able for a fee. Obituaries must
be submitted through funeral
homes unless the deceased’s
body has been donated to
science. If the deceased’s
body was donated to science,
the family must provide official
proof of death. Please submit
all obituaries on the form pro-
vided by The Commercial Dis-
patch. Free notices must be
submitted to the newspaper
no later than 3 p.m. the day
prior for publication Tuesday
through Friday; no later than 4
p.m. Saturday for the Sunday
edition; and no later than 7:30
a.m. for the Monday edition.
Incomplete notices must be re-
ceived no later than 7:30 a.m.
for the Monday through Friday
editions. Paid notices must be
finalized by 3 p.m. for inclusion
the next day Monday through
Thursday; and on Friday by 3
p.m. for Sunday and Monday
Mississippi doctor gets 4 years in health care fraud scheme
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
HAT TIESBURG — A
federal judge has sen-
tenced a Mississippi doc-
tor to four years in prison
for his role in a health
care fraud scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s
Office said Tuesday that
Bill proposes Mississippi center to boost rural telehealth
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JACKSON — A bill
headed to Mississippi
Gov. Tate Reeves would
establish a center fo-
cused on increasing
training opportunities,
business development
and Telehealth services
in the state’s rural health-
care system.
House Public Health
Committee Chairman
Sam Mims is a sponsor
of House Bill 94. He said
Wednesday that lawmak-
ers hope federal corona-
virus relief money can
help fund the Mississippi
Gov. Tate Reeves via Twitter
he had put on businesses
because of the pandemic.
“I’m concerned that
people are losing inter-
est in the effort to keep
each other safe,” Reeves
said Wednesday on Twit-
ter. “We are all tired and
ready to be done, but the
virus doesn’t care. Please
be on your guard — small
a man to a mental health
facility under a court or-
der.
“We have lost a true
public servant and a great
man,” Sheriff Paul Mul-
lins said, according to
the Clarion Ledger. “He
was as bold like a lion. He
thought he was a lion. Ac-
tually, he thought he was
still a 25-year-old.”
Joaquin Blackwell, 22,
AREA OBITUARIES
publication. For more informa-
tion, call 662-328-2471.
Dale Tucker
COLUMBUS — Dale
Tucker, 70, died June
17, 2020, at the Univer-
sity of Mississippi Med-
ical Center, in Jackson.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Lown-
des Funeral Home of
Columbus.
Margaret Jolly
WEST POINT —
Margaret Orr Jolly, 89,
died June 15, 2020, at
her residence.
A Celebration of
Life memorial service
will be held at a later
date. Private family
graveside services
will be held today, at
Greenwood Cemetery,
in West Point, with
the Rev. Dr. Darian
Duckworth officiat-
U.S. District Judge Keith
Starrett handed down
the sentence against Dr.
Shahjahan Sultan, 38, of
Madison, and ordered
him to pay restitution of
$4.1 million to Express
Scripts, $582,280 to CVS
Caremark and $115,611 to
Catamaran.
Center for Rural Health
Innovation.
Health care providers
have increasingly pivot-
ed to using telemedicine
instead of in-person ap-
pointments during the
pandemic to limit the
spread of the coronavirus.
The House voted 112-6
to pass the bill, sending
it to the governor. The
new center would be in
the state Health Depart-
ment’s Office of Rural
Health.
Mississippi has re-
ceived $1.25 billion from
the federal government
for pandemic relief. The
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
efforts have a big impact!”
The governor has
asked people to wear
masks in public, but he
has not required it in most
places.
The state Health De-
partment said Wednes-
day that Mississippi has
had at least 20,641 cases
and 938 deaths from the
of Magee, is charged with
capital murder.
Blair was taking Black-
well to the Region 8 Mental
Health Services building
in Mendenhall on Friday.
Investigators say they be-
lieve Blackwell overpow-
ered Blair, took his gun,
killed him and ran into
the woods. Blackwell was
caught the next day.
Blackwell is being held
without bond, and WAPT-
TV reported that his attor-
ney declined to comment
about the case.
Gov. Tate Reeves or-
dered flags lowered to
ing. Calvert Funeral
Home of West Point is
in charge of arrange-
ments.
Mrs. Jolly was born
Oct. 18, 1930, in Shel-
byville, Tennessee, to
the late R. S. and Glad-
ys Raby Orr. She at-
tended business college
in Nashville and was
formerly employed as
a secretary and office
manager with Crown
Chemical Company.
She was also formerly
employed as the finan-
cial secretary and a
member of First United
Methodist Church.
In addition to her
parents, she was pre-
ceded in death by her
husband, Sherrell F.
Jolly.
She is survived
by her daughter, Sue
Jolly of Columbus;
sons, Doug, Bob, and
Joe Jolly, all of West
Point; sister, Dimples
A $2.3 million money
judgment also was im-
posed against Sultan,
who formerly practiced
in Vicksburg. According
to Sultan’s attorney, for-
mer state Supreme Court
Justice Chuck McRae,
at least $4 million has al-
ready been repaid.
state is spending $300
million on grants for
small businesses, and of-
ficials still need to decide
how to spend most of the
rest of the money.
coronavirus as of Tues-
day evening. That was
an increase of 489 cases
and 23 deaths from the
numbers reported a day
earlier; the deaths include
16 that occurred between
May 23 and June 11, with
information from death
certificates arriving later.
Mississippi has a popula-
tion of about 3 million.
Reeves called the in-
crease of 489 cases “a
large number by any mea-
sure.”
The number of coro-
navirus infections is
thought to be far higher
because many people
half-staff Wednesday to
honor Blackwell.
Blair previously
worked in the justice and
circuit courts in Simpson
County. He also worked as
a transport officer, served
as a constable in Lincoln
County and also worked
in law enforcement in Pike
County and Louisiana.
Mendenhall Mayor
Todd Booth knew Blair
and his family for years.
“He was just a super
guy. He was always there
for you and he was always
joking,” Booth said. “And
he loved his job.”
Orr Poole of Harriman,
Tennessee; four grand-
children; and three
great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be
made to First United
Methodist Church of
West Point, P.O. Box
293, West Point, MS
39773.
Celeste Fenton
COLUMBUS — Ce-
leste Fenton, 87, died
June 17, 2020.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Joshua Morris Finch
Visitation:
Friday, June 19 • 10-11 AM
2nd Ave. North Location
Service:
Friday, June 19 • 11 AM
2nd Ave. North Chapel
Burial
Rowan Cemetery
Brad Lamar
Memorial Service
Sunday, June 28 • 2 PM
2nd Ave. North Chapel
Olaf Burgess
Memorial Service:
Private Family Service
2nd Ave. North Location
memorialgunterpeel.com
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 5A
have not been tested, and
studies suggest people
cause severe symptoms
and be fatal.
can be infected without The Health Depart-
feeling sick. For most ment said Tuesday at least
people, the coronavirus 2,226 cases of the virus
causes mild or moderate have been confirmed in
symptoms that clear up long-term care facilities
within weeks. For others, such as nursing homes,
especially older adults with at least 477 virus-re-
and people with existing lated deaths in those facil-
health problems, it can ities.
Joshua Finch
Joshua Morris Finch, age 37,
of Columbus, MS, passed away
June 16, 2020, at his residence.
Funeral services will be Fri-
day, June 19, 2020, at 11:00 AM
at Memorial Gunter Peel Chap-
el, 716 2nd Ave. North location,
with Dr. Breck Ladd officiating.
The interment will immediately
follow at Rowan Cemetery. Vis-
itation will be one hour prior to the service. Me-
morial Gunter Peel Funeral Home & Crematory,
2nd Ave. North location has been entrusted with
the arrangements.
Joshua was born May 4, 1983, in Amory, MS, to
Al and Marcia Pendley Finch of Columbus, MS.
He was a member of Fairview Baptist Church
and loved and enjoyed the outdoors.
In addition to his parents, survivors include his
brothers, Rodney Finch and his wife, Michelle, of
Columbus, MS, and Jeffrey Finch of Columbus,
MS; and niece Macy Finch of Columbus, MS.
Pallbearers will be Marc Pendley, Ryan Pend-
ley, Zack Pendley, Rodney Finch, Jeff Finch, and
Cody Tomlinson.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis,
TN 38105.
Sign the online guest book at
www.memorialgunterpeel.com
716 Second Avenue North • Columbus, MS
Ronald Keith “Dude”
Franks
July 7, 1944 - June 16, 2020
Ronald Keith Franks, 75, passed away Tuesday,
June 16, 2020, after a four-and-a-half-year battle
with acute sepsis infection.
Ronald was born July 7, 1944, in Memphis,
Tennessee, to Ronald Keith Franks, Sr. and Ruth
Greer Franks. Shortly thereafter, the Franks
family moved to the Rockhill Community, east of
Macon, Mississippi, where Ronald resided most
of his life. Ronald attended the Macon school
system, and it was there he met his lifelong
love, Abbie Fraley. Ronald and Abbie graduated
Macon High School in 1962 and were married
on September 7, 1966. After high school, Ronald
focused on working and building the family farm
with his father and brother, Nolan. He spent a
large amount of time with the cattle herd and
developed into a fine horseman. He enlisted
in the Mississippi National Guard and served
honorably from 1966 to 1972, achieving the rank
of Staff Sergeant. Work continued on the farm
until the mid-1980s when Ronald started his
second career with the Mississippi Department
of Transportation. He spent over thirty years
servicing the state highways of Noxubee County
and became a fixture of the road meeting and
greeting many locals on a regular basis. Ronald
was an avid shooter, hunter, and angler. Most
of his free time was spent with family and
friends hunting and fishing. He also enjoyed
motorcycling and his beloved Harley Davidson
Heritage Softail, especially when riding with his
brother Nolan. Ronald was a longtime member
and Deacon of Cooksville United Methodist
Church. He will be remembered for many
things---likely most of all was his sense of humor.
His personality was literally one-of-a-kind and he
never met a stranger. Ronald was gifted in the
art of storytelling and could always keep a room
captivated. “The Shop” at Franks Farm became
a gathering spot for most of the farm families of
eastern Noxubee County and beyond.Anyone
who attended one of the many cookouts and shop
parties can attest that a good time was sure to be
had by all. Ronald’s personality also allowed him
to befriend people of all ages and he had many
friends from multiple generations, including his
beloved in-laws, the Fraley family.
Ronald is survived by his sons, Ron (DezaRae)
and Jeff (Carrie); his sister, Rebecca Franks Field
(Charlie); and grandchildren, Layla Franks,
Laurel Franks, and Anson Arrington.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Abbie;
brother, Nolan (Shelly); and his parents.
A funeral service will be held Friday, June
19, 2020, at Cooksville Methodist Church,
1496 Cooksville Rd., Macon, MS, at 11:00 a.m.
Interment will be in church cemetery. A walk
through visitation will be held at the church
from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Friday. Seating will be
limited because of COVID-19 restrictions. Social
distancing will be practiced, and a mask is
required inside the church facilities.
Memorials may be made to Wounded Warrior
Project, 4899 Belfort Rd., Suite 300, Jacksonville,
FL 32256 or Cooksville Methodist Church, 2356
Cooksville Rd., Macon, MS 39341.
Cockrell Funeral Home is honored to entrusted
with arrangements.
Paid Obituary - Cockrell Funeral Home
6A THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020
Sanders
Continued from Page 1A
“They didn’t have to go
out and earn any money,
they didn’t have to do any-
thing,” Sanders told The
Dispatch Monday. “Who-
ever owned them took
care of them, fed them,
clothed them, worked
them. They became de-
pendent, and that depen-
dency is still there.”
Many local leaders
publicly condemned
Sanders’ comments and
called for his resignation.
Led by Lowndes County
NAACP President La-
vonne Latham Harris,
more than a dozen local
leaders — including Dis-
trict 5 Supervisor Leroy
Brooks, State Rep. Kabir
Karriem (D-Columbus),
Columbus Mayor Robert
Smith, Chief Operations
Officers David Arm-
strong, and city council
members Joseph Mickens
(Ward 2), Pierre Beard
(Ward 4) and Stephen
Jones (Ward 5) — attend-
ed the Wednesday protest
to urge for Sanders to step
down.
Brooks, who has
worked with Sanders for
decades on the board,
slammed Sanders for his
interpretation of slavery.
“You talked about
(how) we
(are) de-
p endent ,”
Brooks said.
“No, no, we
had worked
from sun up
to sun down
so folks like Brooks
you could
live a good life.”
If Sanders does not will-
ingly resign by the next
board meeting on June 30,
Brooks said Wednesday,
he intends to mobilize
the community to bring
the protest back to the
courthouse lawn and take
further measures, which
could include calling for a
citizen’s petition, to force
his removal.
“On June 30, if he’s
there, we are going to go
in that courthouse, we are
going to block it off, and
if we have to sing ‘Kum-
baya, Lord,’ that’s what we
are going to sing,” Brooks
said. “There needs to be a
sign in the boardroom say-
ing that ‘Harry Sanders
sat here.’ … George Floyd
couldn’t breathe because
a man had his knee on his
neck. We can’t breathe be-
Juneteenth
Continued from Page 1A
These are not normal
times, especially in the
black communities across
the nation and particu-
larly in the South. Issues
like COVID-19, which has
killed a disproportion-
ate percentage of black
citizens in the U.S., and
the recent explosion of
outrage generated by
high-profile incidents of
police brutality against
blacks have added layers
of context to this year’s
Juneteenth celebrations
— as have issues closer
to home like the debate
over the state flag and its
Confederate symbolism,
Confederate monuments
conspicuously located in
towns and cities through-
out the South and the
racist comments made de-
fending those shrines by
Lowndes County Supervi-
sor Harry Sanders.
“With all that’s going
on, I think we really need-
ed some-
thing to lift
people’s
spirits, to
have a real
celebra-
tion,” Oktib-
beha Coun-
ty NAACP Haddix
President
Yulanda Haddix said.
“Juneteenth is when we
celebrate our freedom
and that’s still the focus,
but there are so many
other things we are facing
and those things have be-
come a part of it, too.”
Saturday, the Oktibbe-
ha NAACP chapter and
the J.L. King Center will
host its Juneteenth Cele-
bration from 1-6 p.m. on
cause of the stench from
Harry Sanders. We need
to clear it out.”
Karriem, who was
among a cadre of leaders
present for the board’s
Confederate monument
vote Monday, said Sand-
ers’ remarks reflected
his “bigotry” and “elit-
ism,” which he said have
long been written off as:
“That’s just Harry.”
“Today, this is a call to
remove both
statues: The
Confeder-
ate statue,
which is
symbolic
of hate, di-
v i s i ve n e s s
and, most of Karriem
all, treason,”
he said, “and a second
statue that embodies big-
otry, insensitivity and in-
equality and evil. And that
statue is Harry Sanders.”
Brooks and District
4 Supervisor Jeff Smith,
both black, have openly
called for Sanders to re-
sign. But the two other
white supervisors are
more reserved.
Trip Hairston of Dis-
trict 2, in a Wednesday
statement, supported
stripping Sanders of his ti-
tle as the board president
but did not call for his
resignation. In that state-
ment, he also supported
relocating the Confeder-
ate monument from the
courthouse lawn and soft-
ened his position on leav-
ing the Confederate battle
emblem on the Mississip-
pi flag.
Holliman of District
3, who has been reluc-
tant to condemn Sanders’
remarks, could not be
reached for comment on
Wednesday.
Calling for the commu-
nity’s support Wednesday,
Harris urged Hairston
and Holliman to advocate
for Sanders’ removal from
the board.
“You cannot serve our
community effectively
with such
racist ideas
and your
at t it ude,”
Harris said
of Sanders
Wednesday.
“We cannot,
in the best Harris
interest of
our community, unite
and move forward, until
the grounds of the center,
located on the city’s west
side at 700 N. Long St.
The celebration will
include music, speak-
ers, children’s activities
and food vendors. The
Starkville NAACP is also
using it to raise funds for
the organization through
a Father’s Day raffle. For
$1, people can purchase a
ticket for the Father’s Day
package, which includes a
gas grill, prime-cut steaks
and all the trimmings for
a Father’s Day feast.
“The timing is great,”
Haddix said. “Father’s
Day is the next day, so
the winner will have ev-
erything needed for a Fa-
ther’s Day cookout.”
The raffle is especial-
ly important since the
NAACP’s biggest an-
nual fundraising event,
the Freedom Fund Ban-
quet held each May, was
canceled because of
COVID-19.
The NAACP also will
be collecting donations
for another fundraiser,
the 100-year anniversa-
ry of women’s suffrage.
Donations for that even
continue through August.
Haddix said between the
two fundraisers, NAACP
hopes to raise $2,500.
Raffle tickets will be
on sale during Saturday’s
event. Those who aren’t
able to attend can pur-
chase tickets by calling
Haddix at 856-220-0222
and using the NAACP’s
Paypal app.
The winner will be
announced at the June-
teenth Celebration.
“We want everyone to
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
you, Harry Sanders, is reached a wider audience.
removed from your posi- Over the past two days,
tion.” regional and national or-
Sanders told The Dis- ganizations joined local
patch in a text message officials and community
this morning he will not advocates in speaking
step down, and there is no against Sanders’ remarks.
way for the community to Following its CEO Joe
force his removal. Max Higgins’ criticism of
Sanders’ comments, the
Community hurting Golden Triangle Develop-
ment LINK publicly con-
As the protest cli-
maxed, protesters began demned the comments as
chanting “Harry Sand- “disturbing” in a Wednes-
ers must go.” Ellis, who day statement. The eco-
said Sanders’ comments nomic development of the
offended her as a black Golden Triangle and the
American, chanted along. state “leaves no room for
“It hurt me to my core,” such antiquated and ab-
she said. “It actually horrent beliefs as those
brought tears to my eyes expressed by Supervi-
to know that we have lead- sor Sanders,” the state-
ership in a city that feels ment reads. The Colum-
that way about racism, bus-Lowndes Chamber of
about blacks.” Commerce endorsed The
Upon learning Sanders’ LINK’s statement in an
remarks, Rachel Guerry, email this morning.
In a Wednesday tweet,
owner of Three Sisters
former Mississippi Re-
Pie Company, put up two
publican Party Chairman
signs in the restaurant
Joe Nosef urged Sanders
window that respective-
to resign and apologize
ly read “No pie for Harry
to the state. He also crit-
Sanders” and “Remove
icized Sanders’ remarks
KKKonfederate idols.”
where he said slave own-
“I guess I was living in
ers took care of slaves and
my own belief that people
“clothed them.”
don’t actually think that
“This is not who we
way anymore,” Guerry
are,” Nosef said. “Yeah
said of Sanders’ remarks.
I’m sure folks who were
“Silence is betrayal. If we
sold into slavery had a su-
don’t speak out against
per wardrobe.”
it, then we are just going
Nationally, the Council
along with what he has to
on American-Islamic Re-
say.”
lations, which is the larg-
Sonniah Ramirez, 12,
est Muslim civil rights
who also protested Mon-
advocacy group, called for
day against the monu-
Sanders’ resignation in a
ment, said she is “tired
Wednesday statement.
and angry” of being treat-
“Our nation’s leaders
ed unequally as a minori-
and policy-makers — at
ty.
the local, state and federal
“Hopefully, this will
levels — must understand
make a change, and they
and take part in the grow-
won’t look at us by our
ing movement against
color but by what we have
anti-Black racism and
within,” she said.
white supremacy,” said
CAIR National Communi-
Wide array of criticism cations Director Ibrahim
Sanders’ remarks Hooper. “Sanders should
shook many in the com- resign and make way for
munity, including many someone who will uphold
city officials. American values, not
Armstrong called the those of the Confederacy.”
remarks “an ugly pimple
on the face” of Columbus
and Lowndes County. City
Attorney Jeff Turnage
said the comments are
“stupid” and “holding us
back.” Jones, who serves
on the council, said they
showed how “out of touch”
Sanders is with the black
community.
Sanders’ racist com-
ments, however, have also
come out, bring you lawn
chairs and enjoy the cel-
ebration,” Haddix said.
“We also want to invite
our white brothers and
sisters to join us.”
In Columbus, Lowndes
County Supervisor Leroy
Brooks has put together
a last-minute Juneteenth
car parade scheduled to
begin at 1 p.m. downtown.
Like Haddix, he said
the events of this year
have prompted a celebra-
tion.
“We hadn’t planned
anything for this year,
but with what’s happened
the last couple of days,
we decided we had to
put together something,”
Brooks said.
It will be the city’s first
Juneteenth event since
2017. Prior to that, Brooks
organized a Juneteenth
Celebration at Sim Scott
Park that started in 1996.
Those who want to
participate are asked to
assemble at the Colum-
bus Soccer Complex at
12:30 p.m. Saturday. The
parade route will go down
Main Street, north along
Military Road and west on
14th Avenue and end on
20th Street.
Although not marketed
as such, the only event ac-
tually held on the official
day of Juneteenth will be
held Friday in West Point,
where a “Cry For Justice”
march and rally will be
held, beginning with the
march at 5 p.m., starting
at the Kroger parking lot
near the Justice Complex,
followed by the rally at 6
p.m. at City Hall.
Sports MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020
B
SECTION

MANFRED, CLARK REACH FRAMEWORK: 60 GAMES, FULL PRORATED PAY

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — After
days of angry exchang-
es over money between
Major League Baseball
and the players’ associa-
tion, Commissioner Rob
Manfred started to doubt
whether there would be a
2020 season and said as
much on national televi-
sion.
He then called union
head Tony Clark and of-
fered to fly from New
York to Arizona to meet
for the first time in three
months. They spoke one
on one for several hours
Tuesday in a room at The
Westin Kierland Resort
& Spa in Scottsdale and
emerged with what MLB
considers a framework
to play the pandemic-de-
layed season in empty
ballparks, not just a pro-
posal.
The plan
includes full
prorated
pay, even if
games are
played in
empty ball-
parks, peo- Manfred
ple familiar
with the
details told The Associat-
ed Press. They spoke on
condition of anonymity
because details were not
announced.
Each team would play
60 games over 10 weeks
starting July 20, though
a Sunday opener on July
19 could be added. The
framework would result
in players receiving about
37% of their salaries and
would come to roughly
$1.48 billion from salaries
originally totaling $4 bil-
lion.
Baseball’s postseason
would expand from 10
teams to 16 this year, and
the two wild card games
would transform into
an eight-team wild-card
round with eight best-of-
three series. That would
create a minimum of 14
new playoff games whose
broadcast rights could
be sold, and MLB would
have the option of 14 or 16
postseason teams in 2021.
MLB would guarantee
a $25 million postseason
players’ pool, creating
postseason shares for
players in the event no
tickets are sold.
The designated hit-
ter would expand to all
games for the first time,
also involving games be-
tween National League
teams, for 2020 and 2021.
Both sides would con-
tribute jointly to initia-
tives for social justice.
Players with so-called
split contracts, who get
paid at a lower salary rate
when sent to the minor
leagues, would not have
to repay the advance
they already have re-
ceived: $16,500, $30,000
or $60,000, depending on
their contract, for a total
of about $33 million.
MLB considers it a
framework for each lead-
er to sell to each side. The
union did not comment.
“At my request, Tony
Clark and I met for sev-
eral hours yesterday in
Phoenix,” Manfred said
in a statement Wednes-
day. “We left that meeting
with a jointly developed
framework that we agreed
could form the basis of an
agreement and subject to
conversations with our re-
spective constituents.
“Consistent with our
conversations yesterday, I
am encouraging the clubs
to move forward, and I
trust Tony is doing the
same,” Manfred added.
The union’s last offer
on June 9 was for an 89-
game schedule at full pro-
rated pay, which would re-
sult in 55% of salaries and
about $2.2 billion.
Top stars Mike Trout
and Gerrit Cole would
each get about $13.33
million under MLB’s lat-
est plan and $19.78 mil-
lion under the union pro-
posal. A player with a $1
million salary would get
$370,370 under the club
plan and $549,383 under
the players’ proposal. The
$563,500 minimum would
be worth $208,704 under
MLB’s plan and $309,577
under the union’s.
The union also would
waive additional claims
that could cause an ex-
pensive grievance.
Manfred and Clark
got into such detail
during the meeting they
recessed for a period to
allow Manfred to consult
owners on MLB’s labor
policy committee.
After considering the
framework, players could
counter with a higher
amount of games, per-
haps by adding double-
See MLB, 2B

Mississippi State’s Nikki McCray-Penson continuing

national recruiting push started by Vic Schaefer
BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — KN’isha Godfrey and
When Nikki McCray-Pen-
son took over for former
Mississippi State head
coach Vic Schaefer in late
April, a foundation for
success had been set.
In eight years guid-
ing the Bulldogs before
his sudden departure for
Texas, Schaefer earned
three-straight trips to the
Elite Eight or better and
took MSU to back-to-back
national title games in
2017 and 2018.
And while it remains
to be seen what Mc-
Cray-Penson’s on-court
prowess will look like
in Starkville, she’s also
borrowed the national
recruiting footprint that
made Schaefer so suc-
cessful.
“Vic and his staff have
done a tremendous job of
making this program very
attractive and a place that
players want to come and
be a part of something
special,” McCray-Penson
told The Dispatch. “For
me, it’s just continuing to
build on that, build on it
every single day, getting
the top recruits in here
every single day.”
Over the past three-
plus weeks, MSU has
earned commitments
from five-star 2020 guard
Madison Hayes — who
required a second round
of recruiting after Schae-
fer left for Austin — and
2021 four-stars guards
Mia Moore. All ranked in
the top 100 of ESPNW’s
HoopGurlz rankings for
their respective classes,
their varying geography
speaks as much to Mc-
Cray-Penson’s strategy as
their actual skills.
Hayes, a native
Ooltewah, Tennessee, a
town just 30 minutes out-
side of Chattanooga, be-
came the second-straight
recipient of Tennessee’s
Miss Basketball crown
to commit to the Bull-
dogs and marked the first
time MSU had corralled
players from the Volun-
teer state in back-to-back
years since at least 2007.
A Tennessee native and
former player under long-
time UT coach Pat Sum- Photo courtesy of Old Dominion Athletics
mitt, McCray-Penson’s A Tennessee native and former player under longtime UT coach Pat Summitt, Nikki McCray-Penson’s roots in the area
roots in the area could could offer a fertile recruiting ground up the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway for Mississippi State.
offer a fertile recruiting have.” who finished her high and No. 1-ranked Georgia boys’ varsity basketball
ground up the Tennes-
Beyond Tennessee, school career as the No. 5 native Kayla McPherson coach at King’s Ridge
see-Tombigbee Waterway
the Bulldogs have quickly ranked player in the state along with North Caro- Christian School outside
as the Volunteer program
become players in Geor- — has blossomed into a lina, Georgia Tech, Ari- Atlanta after a four year-
hasn’t reached a Final
gia — the home state second team All-SEC per- zona and North Carolina stint as a men’s assistant
Four since 2008.
of Moore and rising ju- former in her two years in State. coach at Georgia State be-
“She’s the number one
all-time leading scorer (in nior Jessika Carter. Like Starkville, while Moore Another key cog in tween 2007 and 2011.
“Mississippi State has
Tennessee high school Tennessee, the home- sits as the No. 8 player in MSU’s recent pillaging of
basketball history) and town Bulldogs have seen Georgia in the 2021 class the Peach State is assis- built with the previous
I’m the third all-time,” their footprint shrink as and should take over point tant coach Scepter Brown- staff from a facility stand-
Hayes told The Dispatch. they’ve reached just one guard duties upon Myah lee. A one-time graduate point, from a resource
“It’s really cool. You know, Elite Eight since 2004 and Taylor’s graduation. assistant for Bruce Pearl standpoint,” Brownlee
I didn’t expect to play for haven’t been to the Final MSU is also in the re- at Tennessee, Brownlee told The Dispatch. “Ev-
her but I think it’s a really Four since 1999. cently released top-five spent four years as assis- erything is in place that
cool connection that we With that, Carter — for No. 15 overall player tant athletic director and See MSU, 2B

Caledonia’s Barker, Edmondson sign with Southwest Mississippi CC

BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
Michael Kelly was
looking closely at the hel-
met his quarterback car-
ried when the realization
set in.
“I was looking for this
helmet the other day,” the
Caledonia High School
football coach told Bran-
don Edmondson, “and I
forgot you had it.”
Edmondson and his
teammate, lineman
Hayden Barker, had
brought in their helmets
Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff
to help set the stage for
Caledonia High School football players Hayden Barker, left, and Brandon Edmondson
celebrate signing their letters of intent to play football at Southwest Mississippi Wednesday’s signing
ceremony. Both players
Community College. After a recruiting process heavily impacted by the COVID-19
pandemic, the pair finally held their ceremony Wednesday in the team’s field house. officially celebrated their
next step — playing col-
lege football together at
Southwest Mississippi
Community College —
and, presumably, pro-
ceeded to return their hel-
mets to Kelly’s custody.
“It’s been a dream
since I was a little kid,”
Edmondson said of being
able to play at the next lev-
el. “I’m just speechless,
really.”
In front of friends and
teammates in the ‘Feds’
field house Wednesday
afternoon, he and Barker
were finally able to have a
moment Kelly said would
have taken place months
ago were it not for the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The outbreak of the
virus affected recruiting
contact, visits and com-
munication but ultimate-
ly did not stop the pair of
Caledonia standouts from
becoming future Bears.
“I’ve always wanted to
go somewhere, and I final-
ly get that chance,” Bark-
er said. “I’ve got to prove
myself all over again.”
Barker did just that in
his senior season with
Caledonia, learning from
the coaching staff and
playing both sides of the
ball.
“He’s a very powerful
guy up top, and you can
look at him and tell,” Kelly
See CALEDONIA, 2B
2B THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Puck woes: NHL’s bottom line facing short-term blow

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
With so much uncertainty,
Larry Quinn can’t predict just
how severe the NHL’s finan-
cial losses might be due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
That doesn’t stop the for-
mer Buffalo Sabres manag-
ing partner from providing a
bleak assessment, at least for
the short term.
“They’ve got big challeng-
es ahead,” Quinn said. “And
the problem is that you don’t
know the answers to the ques-
tions you have to ask.”
The questions are many
at a time the NHL hopes to
go ahead with a 24-team ex-
panded playoff format in a bid
to conclude the season with
no clear timetable of when to
open the next one. It could
be as late as January, though
Commissioner Gary Bettman
has said it would be a full 82
games.
Many NHL issues are sim-
ilar to those facing North
America’s other major profes-
sional leagues, such as when
fans will be allowed to attend
games. Others are more dis-
tinct to hockey, such as the
effect the drop of the Canadi-
an dollar will have on a league
with seven of its 31 teams
based north of the border.
The NHL was a $2.3 billion
business with a $39 million
salary cap coming out of the
lockout that wiped out the
2004-05 season. It broke the
$5 billion mark in 2018 -19,
with an $81.5 million cap this
past season.
Quinn said the NHL’s bot-
tom line could be sheared in
half in the short term, effec-
tively erasing the gains made
since owners and players
reached a revenue-sharing
agreement following the lock-
out. The anticipated drop in
revenue has already caused
a large ripple through the
league.
At least 10 teams have laid
off employees or announced
indefinite furloughs, with
many executives taking pay
cuts. Just this week, the Sa-
bres made a drastic series of
cost-cutting moves by firing
general manager Jason Bot-
terill and his assistants, 12
of 21 scouts and their entire
minor league coaching staff.
Owner Terry Pegula specif-
ically cited uncertain times
raised by the pandemic, and
a desire to become a “leaner”
and “more efficient” opera-
tion.
Players are bracing for lost
salaries by continuing to de-
fer whether to receive their
final paychecks. They are
also in jeopardy of losing the
portion of pay put aside in an
escrow account, which rolls
over to the owners should rev-
enue fall short of projections;
players have lost upward of
10% of their pay to escrow
over the past seven-plus sea-
sons and it is a major issue in
upcoming labor talks.
Former NHL execu-
tive-turned-broadcaster Bri-
an Burke said the pain will
be felt by teams and players
alike.
“I said seven weeks ago, if
we lost this season and part of
next season, I could foresee
a $40 million salary cap,” he
added. “I don’t think it’s go-
ing to get to that point. And I
know one option that’s being
discussed is deferral of some
of these wages they’re paid
and see what happens, and
when the revenue bounces
back they can get paid.”
Bettman recently said gate
receipts, while significant,
don’t make up a majority of
league revenue. But gate rev-
enue is key to the NHL be-
cause it lags behind its coun-
terparts in television dollars.
The NHL has a 10 -year, $2
billion deal with NBC, that
expires after next season. It
has a 12-year deal with Cana-
da’s Rogers T V that began in
2014-15, and is worth $5.2 bil-
lion Canadian. In comparison,
the NFL makes more than $5
billion annually from broad-
casting rights agreements.
The Canadian dollar plays
a major role in league financ-
es, with player salaries paid
in U.S currency. That wasn’t
an issue in 2007, when the Ca-
nadian dollar briefly jumped
above par, which was reflect-
ed in the NHL’s salary cap
making its largest two-year
gain, going from $44 million
in 2006 -07 to $56.7 million in
2008 -09.
That’s not the case today,
with the Canadian dollar at
the 75 -cent range. Teams
north of the border project
losing $400,000 each time the
Canadian dollar drops a pen-
ny, putting a strain on their
ability to compete for or re-
tain high-priced talent.
The uncertainty has led to
all general managers unable
to assess their rosters and
payrolls beyond this season.
“What happens to the cap?
Does the cap go down be-
cause revenues are going to
decrease? Do they artificially
keep it where it’s at?” Wash-
ington Capitals GM Brian Ma-
cLellan said. “Those are just
open-ended questions, and
we discuss them, but we don’t
come up with any answers.”
Issues arising from the
pandemic have slowed nego-
tiations on a new collective
bargaining agreement, with
the current deal expiring in
September 2022.
“What’s the revenue going
to be next year? If you tell me
that, the bargaining’s pretty
easy,” NHLPA executive di-
rector Don Fehr said. “If you
don’t know that, it becomes a
little more complicated.”
Questions remain even if
fans are allowed to attend
games next season. There are
concerns fans won’t return at
the same numbers if there is
no vaccine available. Others
worry fans won’t have the
same disposable income for
luxuries like games.
“(Sports is) the first casu-
alty of economic hard times,”
Burke said. “So you’ve got
smaller crowds or no crowds.
... You’ve got no suite revenue.
So it’s very corrosive.”
Attorney Irwin Kishner,
who has represented numer-
ous teams and leagues, said
the NHL must consider out-
of-the-box promotional ideas
to generate revenue. Tarps on
empty seats carrying spon-
sor logos. Sponsorships on
jerseys. Maybe reviving the
World Cup of Hockey tourna-
ment, which was last held in
2016 and generated an esti-
mated $40 million.
“This too shall pass. The
question is, how do you devel-
op these alternative revenue
streams?” Kishner said.
Burke expressed confi-
dence in the NHL enjoying a
quick turnaround.
“We’ll get through it. I
think if anything, this pan-
demic has demonstrated is
how much people love the
game and how much they
miss the game,” Burke said.
“The next 18 months are go-
ing to be hard. But I think
we’ll be just fine after that.”

Mississippi State foot- day afternoon.
“We’re thrilled to
ball schedules future add another home-and-
home-and-home series home series against a
with Washington State quality opponent and
STARK VILLE — institution like Wash-
Mike Leach is returning
ington State to our fu-
ture schedules,” MSU
to Pullman. Sort of.
Athletic Director John
Sources confirmed to
Cohen said in a news re-
The Dispatch Wednes-
day that Mississippi
lease. “These will be the
first-ever meetings be-
State and Washington tween the two programs
State — Leach’s for- and should be an ex-
mer employer — have citing opportunity and
agreed to a home-and- experience for our stu-
home series for the 2030 dent-athletes and fans.”
and 2031 seasons. An The first game of the
official announcement series will be held Aug.
was made later Wednes- 31, 2030 in Starkville,
while the return trip to was Oregon in 2003. made effective July 1 mer head girls coach at
Pullman will occur on The Ducks defeated the by the Lowndes County McAdams High School,
Aug. 30, 2031. Bulldogs at Davis Wade School District at Thurs- will replace Donta Yates
During his eight Stadium 42-34 en route day’s board meeting. with West Lowndes.
seasons at Washington to an 8 -5 season. Seals, who will take Yates led the Panthers
State, Leach compiled a over at Caledonia, was to the MHSA A Class 1A
55 -47 record, including Caledonia, West formerly an assistant quarterfinals this sea-
an 11-win season during and a PE teacher at New son.
the 2018 campaign. He
Lowndes hire new Hope Middle School. Additionally, Colum-
also took the Cougars to boys basketball He will replace former bus softball coach Eric
six bowl games over that coaches Caledonia boys and Thornton told The Dis-
span. Caledonia and West girls coach Gary Griffin patch on Wednesday
MSU will also face Lowndes high schools as the ‘Feds’ new boys that he has left to take
Pac-12 opponents during have hired new head coach and as a driver’s the head coaching job at
the 2022-23 and 2024-25 boys basketball coaches education teacher at the Belmont High School.
seasons when they will for the 2020 -21 school school. Thornton coached
face Arizona and Arizo- year. Seals formerly the Falcons’ slow-pitch
na St., respectively. Tony Seals and Mi- coached at South Lamar softball team for seven
The last Pac-12 oppo- chael Huffman will have (Alabama) High School. seasons and the fast-
nent to visit Starkville their new contracts Huffman, the for- pitch team for six.

MLB
Continued from Page 1B

headers.
Before this week, Manfred and
Clark had not met since March 13-14
in Arizona, the two days after spring
training was suspended due to the
new coronavirus.
Manfred maintained last week he
was “100%” sure there would be a sea-
son, but following angry exchanges
last weekend he said Monday “there’s
real risk” of no season.
Baseball deteriorated into labor
strife while the NBA, NHL and ML S
have moved forward with restart
plans.
While baseball had eight work stop-
pages from 1972-95, the sides have ne-
gotiated four straight labor contracts
without interrupting play. But ten-
sions have increased in recent years,
with the union losing a grievance ac-
cusing the Chicago Cubs of manipu-
lating third baseman Kris Bryant’s
service time to delay his free agency
and filing a grievance accusing sever-
al clubs of failing to properly use their
revenue sharing money.
Players have accused several non-
competitive teams of “tanking.” Clubs
say they have the right to jettison
veterans and redirect resources to re-
building.
And the average salary has re-
mained in the $4.4 million range for
five straight seasons, stagnating after
Clark led his first labor negotiations
as successor to the late Michael Wein-
er.
Amid that backdrop, and with the
prospect of collective bargaining to
replace the current labor deal that ex-
pires on Dec. 1, 2021, tensions ratch-
eted up when the virus struck.
The sides reached a deal on March
26 that called for players to receive
prorated pay, $170 million in salary
advances and a guarantee of service
time even if no games are played this
year. In exchange, players waived
claims for additional pay, giving up a
right to test whether Manfred could
successfully invoke the provision
in Uniform Player Contracts allow-
ing him to suspend those contracts
during a national emergency.
When it became apparent the sea-
son would have to start in ballparks
without fans, MLB told the union on
May 12 that teams would combine to
lose $640,000 for each additional reg-
ular-season game, claiming 40% of
revenue is gate and gate-related. The
union challenged MLB’s figures and
asked for additional documentation.
MLB then made its first economic
proposal May 26, offering an 82-game
schedule and saying additional pay
cuts were needed. Players refused to
entertain additional cuts and asked for
114 games. MLB moved to 76 games
and then 72 last week, reworking the
finances but still refusing full prorat-
ed pay. While the union wants to ex-
tend the postseason into November,
MLB says it fears a second wave of the
virus in the autumn would jeopardize
$787 million in broadcast revenue.
Players cut off talks Saturday, a day
after MLB’s last proposal, and said
additional negotiations were futile.
Players told MLB to unilaterally set
the schedule but Manfred said MLB
would not while there was a threat of
a grievance.

MSU
Continued from Page 1B

you need to be successful. We
just want to continue to build
on it and raise the standard, a
new level of staff here at Mis-
sissippi State.”
McCray-Penson has also
shown an ability to dip into
states MSU hasn’t had recent
success in. With Godrey’s
commitment on May 29, she
became the first Floridian to
pledge to the Bulldogs since
Iggy Allen in the class of 2016
and LaKaris Salter in the class
of 2014.
Beyond Florida, Mc-
Cray-Penson snagged former
U18 German national team
standout Charlotte Kohl and
Bowling Green graduate
transfer Caterrion Thompson
in this year’s class — keeping
recent international and grad-
uate transfer market pipelines
developed under Schaefer
alive.
Entering the 2020 season,
MSU will boast 12 players
from 11 different states and
two countries. And while that
geographic diversity was de-
veloped under Schaefer, it
stands to continue under Mc-
Cray-Penson.
“He (succeeded) without
having top recruits which
sometimes is very hard,” Mc-
Cray-Penson said. “But for me
and my staff, we’ve just got to
continue to build on the tradi-
tion and build on the legacy
and bring the right players in
here that fit our culture and
fit Mississippi State’s mission
statement.”

Caledonia
Continued from Page 1B

said. “I think he’ll do a great
job at Southwest.”
Kelly noted that Barker’s
future in football is on the of-
fensive line only, something
the player was grateful for.
“I’ll be able to put more
into the one side that I’m gon-
na be playing, so I’ll be better
off,” Barker said.
Edmondson, too, will be
able to bring some continu-
ity from the high school lev-
el to the college ranks. The
“flex-bone” offense that Kelly
has run the past two years in
Caledonia translates exactly
to what the Bears operate,
and that was a factor in the
quarterback’s decision.
“I wanted to go somewhere
where I knew what I was do-
ing, and I knew that I could
get into the offense pretty
good,” Edmondson said.
In that option scheme,
timely decisions by the signal
caller to pitch the ball or keep
it and run are fundamental.
Kelly said Edmondson mas-
tered that at Caledonia and is
poised to keep it up in Sum-
mit.
“He’s a tough kid,” the
coach said. “I think he will
succeed in this offense. He’s
just the kind of kid you need
to run what we do and what
they do at Southwest.”
Edmondson said the col-
lege’s campus felt like “anoth-
er home” when he and Barker
visited it together two Fridays
ago. The pair decided jointly
they wanted to attend South-
west, play football there and
even room together.
“Just having somebody
there to experience it with
you who you already know,
he’s gonna make it a lot bet-
ter,” Edmondson said.
Kelly said having that pre-
formed friendship is critical
when homesickness inevita-
bly sets in. Summit, after all,
is nearly four hours away.
“Playing together, I think,
is going to benefit both of
them,” Kelly said. “Going to
play with your friends — the
people you’ve played with be-
fore — is always a benefit.”
The coach said he was
glad Barker and Edmondson
finally got to celebrate their
accomplishment Wednesday
and hopes for more events of
that nature down the line.
“We’re happy for these
two,” Kelly said. “We’re look-
ing forward to the future of
our program and many more
of these signings to come.”

As Florida virus test numbers rise, NBA prepares for Disney
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The rate of positive
coronavirus tests in the
Orlando, Florida, area has
been soaring in recent
days. The NBA hopes that
doesn’t matter.
After spending weeks
putting together an in-
credibly elaborate series
of health and safety pro-
tocols — the word “test-
ing” appears 282 times in
the document — the NBA
and the National Basket-
ball Players Association
believe they have done
what’s necessary for the
health and safety of the 22
teams and others that will
be part of the season re-
start at the Disney campus
near Orlando next month.
Ready or not, basket-
ball is almost back.
Comics & Puzzles
DILBERT
ZITS
GARFIELD
CANDORVILLE
BABY BLUES
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
“No one is suggesting
that this is going to be an
infection-free, guaranteed
environment,” NBPA ex-
ecutive director Michele
Roberts told The Asso-
ciated Press. “I guess,
unless we go to ... well,
where would we go? What
state has the lowest rate?
There’s just no way of find-
ing a sterile environment
probably on this planet,
but certainly, not in this
country.”
Among the details that
were included in the pro-
tocols released to teams
Tuesday night: players will
be invited to wear what
the league calls a “prox-
imity alarm” that will set
off an audio alert when the
person is within 6 feet of
another person for more
than five seconds and
FAMILY CIRCUS
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
therefore not following so-
cial distancing guidelines,
plus they can choose to
wear a ring that will gen-
erate “a wellness assess-
ment derived from metrics
such as body temperature
and respiratory and heart
rate.”
Players and staff also
will be given thermome-
ters and a pulse oximeter
so they can track their
data and record it on the
league’s daily health plat-
form.
“I am optimistic about
the NBA’s return-to-play
policies and procedures,”
said Denver coach Mi-
chael Malone, who found
out last month that he had
already beaten COVID-19
after an antibody test
showed he had the virus.
“They are going to do
whatever it takes to make
this the safest environ-
ment as possible. There
are no guarantees and
there will be a risk, but I
feel confident in the mea-
sures to be taken pre-Or-
lando and once in Orlan-
do.”
True, there will be a
risk.
And the league ac-
knowledges that no plan
can be perfect.
“These Protocols are
designed to promote pre-
vention and mitigation
strategies to reduce expo-
sure to, and transmission
of, the coronavirus,” the
league said. “However, it is
possible that staff, players,
or other participants in the
resumption of the 2019-20
season nonetheless may
test positive or contract
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY: I
am 19 and
have been
kicked out of my
house. I’m grateful
for everything
my parents have
done for me. My
dad continues to
compare me to
my older siblings,
although I’m the
exact opposite
of them. They
are not going to
college, they barely
graduated from
high school and Dear Abby
continue to abuse
alcohol and drugs.
I’m in college earning almost
all A’s. I graduated from high
school with flying colors and
have a steady job. I provide
for myself (food, gas, buying
anything I need) and pay for car
insurance. I have tried my hard-
est to be the best daughter and
a good influence for my younger
siblings.
I have asked my father
multiple times during the last
year to stop comparing me to my
older siblings. He hasn’t. Our last and I have been dating for three
conversation was a few weeks
ago, when he told me to pack my
stuff and get out of the house
because I was an “ungrateful
daughter” and “hoeing around
just like my older siblings.”
I have been focusing on my
education and can’t understand
how he came to that conclu-
sion. Frankly, I was very hurt
he thought that of me. I’m not
Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (June
18). Among the neat tricks
you’ll pull off in the weeks
following your solar return are
these: You’ll learn without
becoming jaded. You’ll use your
power for good, and enjoy it
without letting responsibilities
make you feel trapped. Your
cool sophistication will attract
fascinating people and scenari-
os to you. Aquarius and Scorpio
adore you. Your lucky numbers
are: 7, 12, 20, 3 and 33.
ARIES (March 21-April 19).
Be on the lookout for ways to
repurpose the past. Discarded
scraps from one project/rela-
tionship/era can be reworked
the coronavirus.”
But by following strict
rules — including regu-
lar testing, no leaving the
Disney campus without
returning to quarantine,
no unauthorized guests,
no family members being
permitted to arrive until
late August and, though
this likely didn’t need to
be said, no spitting on
the court — the NBA
and the NBPA hope the
risk is minimal as teams
prepare for a Disney stay
that could exceed three
months for the teams that
make the NBA Finals.
“It’ll still probably both-
er everybody that we’re
not home,” Miami center
Bam Adebayo said. “But
at the end of the day, we’ll
be happy to play basket-
ball.”
my siblings; I am
myself, and I’m
doing the best I
can to give myself
a successful
future. My father
refuses to see
that. What should
I do? — BEWIL-
DERED DAUGHTER
IN TEXAS
DEAR DAUGH-
TER: I don’t know
what’s wrong
with your father,
but something
is. You appear to
be mature and
responsible and
doing your best to
lay the foundation for a success-
ful future. I applaud you for it.
If it’s possible for you to live
elsewhere, perhaps with other
relatives, and avoid your father’s
uncalled-for verbal abuse, it
might be healthier for you. Do
not expect him to be pleased
about it, because no matter
how hard you try, you may never
be able to please him, so be
prepared.
DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend
years. The one issue we argue
about is religion. I am a Catholic
and he’s from another Christian
denomination. I respect all reli-
gions and am open-minded.
However, after going to his
church three times, I didn’t like
it at all. They have many strict
rules which, if not obeyed, will re-
sult in a person being shunned.
What kind of church does that?
and turned into something new.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20).
Giving is the theme. Give to the
point where it feels good, and
then go further. It shouldn’t
hurt a lot, but it needs to hurt
a little. The spiritual benefit of
sacrifice can’t come if no sacri-
fice has been made.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
Study and cultural exploration
will bring you good fortune. You
will feel determined to do your
unbiased research, and you will
refrain from forming an opinion
until you have all of the facts.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
All superheroes know that most
of the gig is hiding your identity
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 3B
The NBA’s arrival
at Disney is looming as
the rate of positive tests
around the state is rising,
and officials such as Gov.
Ron DeSantis are facing
criticism for re-opening
many parts of the state’s
economy. But if NBA
players aren’t venturing
out among the public, the
hope is that no matter
what’s going on beyond
Disney’s fences, the qua-
si-bubble for basketball
won’t be affected.
The rate of positive
tests in Orange County,
which includes Orlando,
in the seven-day period
ending Tuesday was 6.5%.
For the seven days imme-
diately preceding that, it
was 2.5% — meaning the
rate has more than dou-
bled in a one-week span.
They compare Catholics to
themselves and say everything
Catholics do is wrong according
to the Bible. I have never felt so
unwelcome in my life.
My boyfriend’s parents want
me to convert, but I don’t want
to. Because of this, his relation-
ship with his parents is being
affected. He plans to quit his
church and become an atheist.
I don’t know how to feel about
this. It would be hard to convince
him to join my church. We have
had many fights over this, and I
wonder if we should just break
up. That way we wouldn’t have
to discuss who is converting or
where we are going to marry.
Please give me some advice. —
STRESSED IN THE ISLANDS
DEAR STRESSED: Consider-
ing the stance your boyfriend’s
family’s religion has on marrying
out of the faith, I’m surprised
your relationship has made it
this far. Fighting benefits neither
of you. Talking about this calmly
and rationally might bring you
closer.
If he quits his church, his
family and friends will make
every effort to isolate and punish
him. He may have to completely
rebuild his social relationships.
If he has any sort of religious
inclination, rather than him
overreacting by “becoming an
(instant) atheist,” the two of you
might like to explore finding a
denomination together that fills
your needs. But be prepared for
pushback because his parents
(and possibly yours) are not
going to like it.
until it’s time to shine. You’ve
enormous strength and power;
that’s a given. Knowing when to
use it is the art.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22).
You’ll have ideas, and you need
the right people to bounce them
off of. People who absorb your
energy and agree with you are
not good bouncing prospects.
Look for the hard and deflective
types.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
You can acknowledge your emo-
tions without slavishly following
their impulses. Your maturity
allows you to objectively witness
yourself. Your feelings will
indicate how in line you are with
your ethics and ideals.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
Though it feels safe and secure
when others agree with you,
it’s not going to help you grow.
You’ll sharpen your wits and
strengthen your case when
you run up against those who
disagree.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov.
21). Albert Camus said it’s
necessary to fall in love, “if only
to provide an alibi for all the
random despair you are going
to feel anyway.” Today’s events
pose the question: Which
comes first, the circumstance or
the feeling?
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). There is something you
are tired of carrying by yourself.
Someone else can help you lug
the burden, or even better, cast
it off. But you must be willing to
share it.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). The research suggests
that improving your weakness-
es, while noble in intent, is far
less effective than leveraging
your strengths.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). Because of the complex-
ity within the crevices of the
human heart, people fit together
unexpectedly and in ways so
particular that they would be
impossible to duplicate.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). Remember when you fell
in love with a movie character?
Remember when you believed
in a book? Something doesn’t
actually need to happen to feel
real. Use this to your benefit.
Generation gap
SOLUTION:
4B THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 5B

Business
Mississippi seeing rising cases of unemployment fraud
MDES: State has paid out more than
$1 billion in unemployment funds
BY LEAH WILLINGHAM
The Associated Press/Report
for America
JACKSON — The
Mississippi Department
of Employment Securi-
ty is seeing an influx of
fraudulent unemployment
claims, mirroring a con-
cerning trend across the
country, Gov. Tate Reeves
said Monday.
“These are all through
sophisticated networks of
criminals who will take
your information, apply
for unemployment, and
then reap your benefits,”
Reeves said at a news
briefing. “It can have seri-
ous consequences for you,
and obviously, it can have
serious consequences for
the system.”
Speaking at the brief-
ing, U.S. Attorney Mike
Hurst said his office re-
ceived a bulletin from
the U.S. Secret Service a
month ago warning of an
international fraud ring
that had been targeting
seven states across the
country, including Wash-
ington state, North Caroli-
na and Florida. The issue
has now spread to Missis-
sippi, he said.
Executive Director
Jackie Turner of the Mis-
sissippi Department of
Employment Security said
her office is investigat-
ing “numerous” cases of
suspected unemployment
fraud, some stemming
from “rings” and “large
scale schemes,” and some
from “smaller situations”
where family members or
acquaintances have stolen
personal information and
filed for unemployment.
Turner wouldn’t say
how many cases of unem-
ployment fraud the state
has seen, citing pending
investigations. The De-
partment of Employment
Security is working with
Secret Service, the De-
partment of Labor and
state Attorney General,
among other agencies, to
investigate these crimes,
Turner said.

BUSINESS BRIEF
Nexgen Crane and Rigging recognized
NexGen Crane and Rigging has re-
ceived the 2020 Crane & Rigging Group
Safety Award and the 2020 Crane & Rig-
ging Group Zero Accidents Award from
the Specialized Carriers & Rigging
Association. SC&RA is an international
organization comprised of more than
1,400 members from 46 nations.
The SC&RA Crane & Rigging Group
Zero Accidents Award is given to mem-
ber companies having zero recordable
accidents or incidents during the
previous year and a property damage
frequency rate of 1.0 or less.
The SC&RA Crane & Rigging Group
Safety Award is given to member com-
panies with a Workers’ Compensation
Modification Rate of 1.0 or less; Prop-
erty Damage Frequency Rate of 1.0 or
less; and an incident rate of 1.7 or less,
which is less than the industry average
of 3.4, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
NexGen is a full-service crane,
rigging and transport company with the
capability to tackle almost any job with
an array of cranes, tractor/trailers and
specialty moving equipment all operat-
ed by certified operators, riggers and
drivers.
NexGen grew out of a family-owned
specialty fabricating and manufactur-
ing company that specializes in large,
heavy, unique vessels weighing 30 tons
and more, with installation services in
virtually impossible circumstances.
Firms across the United States and
around the world submit dozens of
entries to the SC&RA Awards compe-
tition each year. The Awards program
recognizes worldwide excellence in the
crane, rigging and specialized transpor-
tation industry.

BUILDING PERMITS
City of Columbus
June 8-11, 2020
■ Johnnie B. Latham; 601
19th St. N. & 1823 6th Ave.
N.; Demolition; Same
■ Stephen Jones; 802 4th
Ave. N.; Block retaining wall;
Same
■ Mark & Nicole Minor; 100
Sherard Cir.; Fence; Same
■ Glen Bontrager; 1020 Moss
St.; Reroof; Excellent Roofing
■ Helen S. McCarty; 1109
College St.; Repair porch and
brickwork; Housing, Inc.
■ Mary Alice Williams,
Deceased; 710 19th St. N.;
Demolition; Velma Daniels,
Administratrix
■ Peter & Lee Tortorici; 1219
3rd Ave. N.; Electrical; Nick-
oles Electric
■ Grayco, Inc.; 70 Willcutt
Block Road; Electrical; Guerry
Electric, LLC
■ Jimmy Stephenson; 414
21st ST. S.; Electrical; Weldon
Electric
■ Bobby Sherrod; 2302
Walnut Ave.; Electrical; Jimmie
Chism
■ Dolgencorp, Inc.; 212 Ala-
bama St.; Electrical; Steve’s
Electric, LLC
■ Castle Properties; 1721
Hwy. 45 N.; Mechanical;
Brislin, Inc.
Lowndes County
■ Jacob Lowery; Logan Lane;
Set up mobile home; Owner
■ Jacob Lower; Logan Lane;
Move mobile home; Alan’s
Mobile Home
■ Alan Sansing; 7030 Hwy. 50
E.; Construct storage/shop;
Owner
■ Patrick & Melissa Holley;
Prairie Waters Drive; Construct
s/f residence and pool house;
Owner
■ Otis & Aubrey McDaniel; Wolfe
Road; Construct s/f residence;
Owner
LOCAL GAS PRICES
Source: gasbuddy.com

■ Joe Sandifer, Agent; 2nd

Ave. N. & 22th014th St. N.;
June 17, 2020 COLUMBUS
1.74
■ James & Jeanette Basson;
Public utility work; Atmos Ener- CHEVRON
941 Davis Road; Set up mobile 488 US-45 S & Frontage Rd.
gy Corporation home; Owner

1.78
■ Walter Fuel; 815 13th St. N., ■ James & Jeanette Basson; MURPHY USA
Apts. B7, C2, C5, C7-C10, E5- 941 Davis Road; Move mobile 1913-A US 45 N & 19th Ave.

E7; Plumbing; Tabor Plumbing home; McNairy Mobile Homes

■ Robert Turnipseed; 268
McHall Dr.; Plumbing; Tabor
■ Sandy Fowlks; Caledo-
nia-Kolola Road; Set up mobile
1.78 SPRINT MART
4754 US-45 N & MS-50

Plumbing home; Pounders Electric

■ William & Betty Harris; 320
8th St. N., Apts. 3 & 6; Electri-
cal; Collins Electrical
■ Sandy Fowlks; Caledonia-Ko-
STARKVILLE
lola Road; Move mobile home;
Alan’s Mobile Home 1.59 SHELL1125 US 82 E & Old Mayhew

■ Rufus Harris; 104 Maxwell ■ John Michael Dodson; 2375

Ln., Apt. 4; Electrical; Jimmie
Chism
Stanley Road; Construct stor-
age/shop; Owner
1.59 SPRINT
308 Hwy 12 E & S Montgomery

1.59 WALMART
■ Thomas & Deborah Neal; ■ Allen Ming; 1718 Jemison
202 McHall Dr.; Electrical; Road; Construct pole barn; 105 Market St. & MS-12

Nickoles Electric Owner

Classifieds
Ads appear in The Commercial Dispatch,
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 THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 n 6B

Mobile Homes for Rent Garage Sales: New Hope

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Legal Notices Apts For Rent: North locations. 662−242−7653 Autos For Sale
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LEGAL GRANTS FOX RUN APARTMENTS 2004 FORD T−BIRD. Two
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Legislative Public Hearing 24−HOUR PROFESSIONAL Ads starting at $25 Bargain Column
GYM. ON SITE SECURITY.
The Mississippi Department of ON SITE MAINTENANCE.

Human Services, Division of
Community Services will be
conducting the Legislative Pub-
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Services Block Grant and Low-
Income Home Energy Assist-
ance Programs under Title 26
of the Omnibus Budget Recon-
Lots & Acreage
ON SITE MANAGEMENT.
24−HOUR CAMERA
SURVEILLANCE. Benji & 1.75 ACRE LOTS.
Ashleigh, 662−386−4446. Good/Bad Credit Options.
Good credit as low as 10%
Apts For Rent: West down, $299/mo. Eaton
Land, 662−361−7711.
Community
5−PIECE DINETTE SET
Good condition. $90.
662−242−4563.
General Merchandise Ads starting at $12
Sudoku YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
2018 40FT Gooseneck Travel & Entertainment
Trailer w/ 5ft dovetail, 12

VIP Sudoku Yesterday’s answer

ciliation Act of 1981, as ton axles, 10−4inch straps Sudoku is a number-
amended. The hearing for the
2021 programs is scheduled Waterfront Property & tarps. $7,000. PUBLIC CATFISH POND placing puzzle based on

Rentals
for Tuesday, July 21, 2020, at 662−251−3001. @ 130 Hillcrest Drive.
Sudoku
a 9x9 gridis witha several
num- 9 2 3 7 6 4 1 8 5
11:00 am at Multi-County Com- NEWLY RENOVATED three Open Tues−Sat, 7a−5p
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munity Service Agency, 2906 bedroom, two 1/2 bath 662−386−8591
St. Paul Street, Meridian, Mis- Apartments & Houses
5X10 UTILITY TRAILER
home in private community Good condition, single axle. Call for pricing. based onthe
is to place a 9x9
numbers 7 1 4 9 8 5 6 2 3
sissippi. with community boat $500. 662−425−2454. grid
1 to 9with
in theseveral
empty spaces 8 5 1 6 3 7 2 4 9
The Community Services Block 1 Bedrooms landing. Property sits on given
so thatnumbers.
each row, eachThe 4 9 6 2 1 8 3 5 7
Grant provides funds for a
range of activities to amelior- 2 Bedroooms
Tibbee Creek and is
conveniently located to Five Questions: object
column and each 3x3 the
is to place box 3 7 2 5 4 9 8 1 6
WHITE POSTER BOARD numbers
contains the1same to 9 number
in
3 Bedrooms
ate the causes and effects of West Point, Columbus, and
poverty. For Fiscal Year 2021, Starkville. Home has a
$0.50 each − 24"x23"
the empty spaces so 5 6 8 3 9 2 4 7 1
1 Pan American only once. The difficulty
Visit 516 Main Street
at least 90 percent of the
Furnished & Unfurnished
screened in back patio with or call 662−328−2424 that each row, each 1 4 7 8 5 6 9 3 2
funds allocated to the State level increases from
World Airways
a deck that overlooks
through these grants will be column and each 2 3 9 4 7 1 5 6 8
contracted to non-profit com- 1, 2, & 3 Baths Tibbee Creek. $198,800. Monday
3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday.
or Pan Am
Difficulty Level 6/17
662−549−2768 Lawn & Garden
munity action agencies, mi-
grant seasonal farm worker or- Lease, Deposit the same number only once. The difficulty level
ganizations or community- & Credit Check HAYES DAYLILIES increases from Monday to Sunday.
2 Banana
based organizations that meet

Garage Sales
Open mornings. M−S.
the eligibility requirements as viceinvestments.com 1069 New Hope Rd. Call
327-8555
described in Section 675 of 662−251−6665.
the Community Services Block

3 Tardigrade or
Grant Act, as amended. The eli-
gibility requirements for the Two free signs Wanted To Buy
Apts For Rent: Other
water bear
program are outlined in the ap-
plication process. USED COMPUTER. Must
Estate Sales
work good. 803 Shiloh Dr.
The Low-Income Home Energy 662−889−6619.
4 Mr. Potato
Assistance Program assists eli- HUGE ESTATE SALE
gible households to pay the 3431 Hwy.12 E.
Head
costs of home energy bills and Steens, MS 39766
other energy-related services,
for example, wood, kerosene,
electricity, gas, heaters,
Fri. 19th 9−5, Sat. 20th 9−
5, Sun. 21th 1−5, Mon Read local.
22nd 9−5, selling the
cdispatch.com 5 Sicily and
blankets, fans and air condi-
tioners. For Fiscal Year 2021, estate of Eldon and

at least 90 percent of the
funds allocated to the State
through these grants will be
contracted to private, nonprofit,
and public agencies desig-
nated in accordance with Pub-
lic Law 97-35, as amended.
The eligibility requirements for
the program are outlined in the
application process.
Copies of the state plans are
available for review at the Mis-
sissippi Department of Human
Services by calling 601-359-
4768 or 1-800-421-0762.
Inquiries, comments or sugges-
tions regarding the block grant
plans and/or eligibility require-
ments must be received on or
before July 28, 2020 by the Di-
Sardinia
Frances Barham, selling
contents of home, shop,
outdoor buildings, tractor
shed. Thousands of items, Auctions
too much to list! Photos @
www.estatesales.net
Stewart’s Antiques,
Appraisals & Estate Sales
662−251−1515
Garage Sales: New Hope
HUGE SALE! 37 Carney Dr.
8am until. Baby/kid items
and much more!
COLEMAN
RENTALS
Too much
TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS

STUFF?
vision of Community Services,
P. O. Box 352, Jackson, Mis- 1 BEDROOM
sissippi 39205. Public com-
ments will be reviewed before 2 BEDROOMS
finalizing the 2021 State Plans
for these programs.
3 BEDROOMS
LEASE,
© The Dispatch

DEPOSIT
Employment AND
CREDIT CHECK
Call us: 662-328-2424
662-329-2323
General Help Wanted
2411 HWY 45 N
AREA BUSINESS COLUMBUS, MS
is seeking a mature,
motivated person who ACROSS
enjoys interacting with Houses For Rent: North 1 Shows ner-
people, being outdoors vousness
and multitasking. Skills 135 HORSESHOE LOOP,
related to maintaining
equipment and/or farm
COLUMBUS. 3BR/2BA,
fenced yard, quiet & retired Start your 6 Bakery buys
11 Eat away
work are desired but not
required. Person needs to
area. Storage building in
back yard. $700/mo + de-cluttering by 12 Match in value
13 Make amends
be flexible enough to pitch
in where ever needed but
dep. 901−314−3098.
placing a garage 14 Game with an
oblong ball
also keep their core
responsibilities in mind.
HOUSE FOR RENT BY
OWNER. 220 Mclemore
sale ad today! 15 Boss, in slang
If you enjoy a different ex- Road, Columbus. 1750sqft 17 Petite
perience on the regular,
meeting new people and
Brick house in quiet neigh− 19 Snaky letter
believe in customer
borhood. 3 bedrooms & 2
full baths. No HUD,
Ads starting at... 20 Bar topic
23 Last
1 day $10
satisfaction this job might Columbus City school
be for you. district. $1000/mo with 25 Murder mys-
Please submit resume to: 1 mo deposit. Serious tery find
3 day $18
Blind Box 675 c/o The inquiries only please. Call
Commercial Dispatch 662−574−3202 to see the 26 Made hotel
PO Box 511 house or make application. reservations

6 day $34
Columbus, MS 39703 28 Sky shade DOWN ic plane)
HOUSE FOR RENT 29 Energy point 1 Stew sphere 20 Sought
CALEDONIA BUSINESS 2−3 Bedroom w/ 1.5 Bath in yoga 2 Museum focus 21 Love to pieces
needs General Laborer. Fenced in yard. $675. Price includes 4 lines of text; 30 Plopped down 3 Used the grill, 22 Longtime
Experienced weed-eater, 662−549−9555.
$1/line after base cost. 31 Slangy sweet- perhaps Rolling Stones
$10-12/hour. Valid driver's Ask for Glenn or text.
heart 4 Writer Buchan- bassist
license, transportation &
32 Poet’s con- an 24 Luau instru-

Service Directory
experience helpful. Call
Jesse & Beverly's Lawn traction 5 “Now, you ment
Service at 662-356-6525. 33 Gofer’s job listen!” 25 Lingerie item
35 Character 6 Shorebirds 27 Before
THE COMMERCIAL found in kid’s 7 Turquoise kin 31 Wide
DISPATCH seeks a motiv- books 8 Weaver’s 33 Beat, but
ated, contracted carrier for
the Brooksville & Macon
Promote your small business starting at only $25 38 Eccentric creation barely
41 Psi follower 9 Bar bill 34 Church area
area. Excellent opportunity
to earn money for college. Carpet & Flooring General Services General Services Lawn Care / Landscaping 42 Egg-shaped 10 Cunning 35 Court
Must have good transporta- 43 Made a 16 Lot choice 36 Band blaster
A & T TREE SERVICES WORK WANTED: JESSE & BEVERLY’S
tion, valid driver's license CARPET INSTALLATION.
Re−Stretch & Repair also Bucket truck & stump Licensed & Bonded. LAWN SERVICE choice 17 “Our Town” 37 Rent out
& insurance. Delivers on removal. Free est. Carpentry, minor electrical, Mowing, cleanup, 44 Forest flora family 39 Shark feature
Sunday morning and Mon- avail. I accept select jobs.
Fri afternoons. Apply at The Call Walt, 662−574−8134. Serving Columbus minor plumbing, insulation, landscaping, sodding, 18 — Gay (histor- 40 Mi. parts
since 1987. Senior painting, demolition, & tree cutting.
Commercial Dispatch, 516 citizen disc. Call Alvin @ gutters cleaned, pressure 662−356−6525
Main Street in Columbus.
No phone calls please. Childcare 242−0324/241−4447 washing, landscaping,
"We’ll go out on a limb for cleanup work, moving help.
Emmanuel’s Christian you!" 662−242−3608. Lawn Care
Academy−Child care Mow, Trim, Edge and Blow.
AVAILABLE SOON For ages Free Estimate.
PRESSURE WASHING Call 662−574−1225.
6 weeks to 12 years old. Commercial & residential.
emmanuelsca@yahoo.com If no answer please leave
Bricks, concrete & siding. message.
or text 662−245−6998 Call for quote,
662−295−6880.
Painting & Papering
Electrical
CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY QUALITY PAINTING.
Take down that “for Garage Door Services
$545 plus Filing Fee Ext/Int Painting.
Sheet Rock Hang, Finish &
CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY
rent” sign and get M&M Garage Door, LLC
Offering competitive prices All Attorney Fees Through The Plan Repair. Pressure Washing.
Free Estimates. Ask for
fast results with an and quality service.
Available for all of your
Jim Arnold, Attorney specials! Larry Webber,
662-324-1666 • 601-656-6914 662−242−4932.
easy classified ad. garage door needs.
Call us today for your free 104 South Lafayette Street, Starkville
consultation. SULLIVAN’S PAINT
Place your MOUNTING TV’S AND 662−251−4904 Lawn Care / Landscaping SERVICE
HIDING WIRES Special Prices.
ad today at Mount TV:
$60/TV (mount not incl)
SKILLED CRAFTSMAN. Any Jake’s Mowing Interior & Exterior Painting.
662−435−6528
kind of work! We can build, Mowing, Weed−eating,
ads.cdispatch.com Mount TV & hide wires:
$120/TV (mount not incl)
paint, drywall, clean, Blow off walks, Trim shrubs
pressure wash & cut grass. Free quote. Great pricing. Are you a painter?
or call 328-2424 Johnny Beamon
662−251−8472
Reasonable rates. Safe &
Reliable. 662−386−3658.
Call, text, leave message.
662−570−8815 Advertise here!