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Thursday | August 20, 2020

LCSD requesting $5.5 million more from local sales taxes

Request reflects stronger assessment value, need for tax increase
BY ZACK PLAIR ultimately approved, remain at
zplair@cdispatch.com
issue.
County administration
Lowndes County School received a school-board ap-
District is requesting about proved request for more than
$5.5 million more than last $27.4 million in local taxes
year from county property tax for the fiscal year by the Aug.
revenue for Fiscal Year 2021, 14 deadline. That included
much of which would boost its $21.1 million for operations
operating revenue. (up roughly $5 million from
Whether the district can Fiscal Year 2020 which ended
legally request that much of for LCSD on June 30) and $6.3
an increase, and what it would million for debt service (up
mean for the taxpayers if it is about $600,000).
About half of the overall in-
crease would come from a rise
in the assessed value of tax-
able properties in the school
district boundaries that would
not require an increase in the
property tax, or millage, rate.
Getting the other half could
result in a rate increase of at
least 4.55 mills.
Property taxes are mea-
sured in mills, which rep-
resents a certain percentage
of a person’s real and personal
Allison Andrews
property value. For a residence
assessed at $100,000 without a
Homestead exemption, a 4.55-
mill increase would raise the
owner’s taxes by $45.50 annu-
ally. For a commercial proper-
INSIDE
n OUR VIEW: How should LCSD
eat an elephant? One bite at a time,
page 4A.
ty owner, the new rate would
increase taxes by $68.25 per
$100,000 in assessed value, ac-
cording to calculations Lown-
des County Tax Assessor/Col-
lector Greg Andrews shared
with The Dispatch.
Andrews said the millage
hike would see steel manu-
facturer SDI paying about
$900,000 more in school taxes
See LCSD, 3A

State looks into Airbus builds first of 16 helicopters

COVID outbreak for Customs and Border Protection
at MUW
Four positive cases, 71
other students quarantining
BY TESS VRBIN
tvrbin@cdispatch.com

Four positive COVID-19 coro-

navirus cases in a nursing class
at Mississippi University for
Women this week prompted an
investigation from Mississip-
pi State Department of Health,
MUW President Nora Miller
confirmed Wednesday.
Two students tested positive Miller
on Tuesday, the day after classes
started, and the university soon identified others
who had been in close contact with the students,
Miller said. Two more students have since tested
positive, one on Tuesday and one on Wednesday,
according to MUW’s online COVID-19 tracker.
All four positive cases are asymptomatic, and
See OUTBREAK, 6A

BUSINESS MOVES WITH MARY Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff

Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner of Policy for Air and Marine Operations at U.S. Customs and Border

Starkville
Protection Steve Boyer, left, speaks with Airbus Senior Manager of Industry Troy Ham while Airbus employees
work on a CBP helicopter at the company’s Lowndes County facility on Wednesday. CBP ordered 16 special-
ly-made H125 helicopters from Airbus, the first of which has already been delivered, and the last of which will be

movie theater
delivered in October 2021.

Legislators tout high-

prepares for tech facility, Golden
Triangle workforce at
opening congressional visit to
PLUS: Magnolia Soap & Bath Lowndes facility
BY ISABELLE ALTMAN
Company comes to Starkville ialtman@cdispatch.com

BY MARY POLLITZ The first H125 helicopter assem-

biz@cdispatch.com bled at Airbus’ Lowndes County
facility for the U.S. Customs and

T
here are a lot
of opinions
concerning
COVID-19; however,
one thing most every-
one agrees on is the
immense impact it has
had on the economy
and business in gener-
al. Particularly speak-
ing, movie theaters na-
tionwide have taken a
hit, closing their doors
as early as March.
According to
Forbes, the largest movie theater chain in the
Border Protection has already been
delivered to Detroit, Michigan, for
CBP agents to use during opera-
tions.
Over the next 14 months, local
Airbus employees will build and de-
liver 15 more as part of a long-term
fleet upgrade initiative for CBP.
“Customs and Border Protec-
tion ordered 16 helicopters to start
replacing their aging fleet of heli-
copters, some of which are 30 years
Mary Pollitz
old,” Airbus CEO Romain Trapp
told The Dispatch on Wednesday.
“So what we are celebrating here to-
day is the beginning of the delivery
See POLLITZ, 3A of these 16 helicopters.”
Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff
State Sen. Chuck Younger (R-Columbus) and U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker
speak beside an H125 helicopter designed by Airbus for U.S. Customs
and Border Protection at Airbus’ Lowndes County facility Wednesday.
Younger and Wicker, along with U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly, representatives
from theirs and U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith’s office and members of CBP,
toured the facility Wednesday to meet employees and observe the pro-
cess of assembling the helicopters.
The helicopters are custom-de- protecting people and chasing the
signed specifically for CBP, and bad guys.”
Trapp said they include features Legislators including Rep. Trent
specially tailored for law enforce- Kelly, Sen. Roger Wicker and state
ment, such as loud speakers, in- Sen. Chuck Younger, along with
frared cameras and searchlights CBP officials visited Airbus in Co-
“which are needed for the missions lumbus Wednesday to tour the fa-
of CBP, which every day are about See AIRBUS, 6A

WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC

1 In Germany in 1900, who built the first MEETINGS
rigid-frame, dirigible airship and founded the Aug. 25: OCH Re-
first airline company, DELAG? gional Medical Center
2 What “loverly musical shares its title with Board of Trustees, 4
a line from the children’s song “London p.m.
Bridge is Falling Down”? Aug. 28: Starkville
3 Which device was installed in Cleveland
on Aug. 5, 1914, at the corner of Euclid Ave. Board of Aldermen
Dylan Sherrod work session, 10 a.m.,
and East 105th Street?
Pre-K, New Hope City Hall
4 In swimming, does the abbreviation “DPS”

88 Low 68
stand for distance per — second, stroke or Sept. 1: Starkville
High session? Board of Aldermen
Storms likely
5 What is the name of the traditional Jap- meeting, 5:30 p.m.,
anese broth that’s made from fermented City Hall
Full forecast on soybean paste?
page 3A. Answers, 6B Sept. 11: Starkville
Board of Aldermen
work session, 10 a.m.,
INSIDE City Hall
Business 4B Dear Abby 3B Sept. 15: Starkville
Classifieds 6B Obituaries 5A Board of Aldermen
Comics 3B Opinions 4A Nathan Brooks, 12, goes to meeting: 5:30 p.m.,
Crossword 6B Columbus Middle School. City Hall

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

US jobless claims jump back

above 1 million in face of virus
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The number
of laid-off workers seeking U.S.
unemployment benefits rose to 1.1
million last week after two weeks
of declines, evidence that many
employers are still slashing jobs as
the coronavirus bedevils the U.S.
economy.
The latest figures, released
Thursday by the Labor Depart-
ment, suggest that more than five
months after the viral outbreak
erupted the economy is still weak,
despite recent gains as some busi-
nesses reopen and some sectors
like housing and manufacturing
have rebounded. Jobless claims
had fallen last week below 1 mil-
lion for the first time since March,
to 971,000. A rising number of peo-
ple who have lost jobs say they con-
sider their loss to be permanent.
The total number of people
receiving unemployment aid de-
clined last week from 15.5 million
to 14.8 million, the government
said Thursday. Those recipients
are now receiving far less aid be-
cause a $600-a-week federal ben-
efit has expired, which means the
unemployed must now get by sole-
ly on much smaller aid from their
states. The loss of the federal ben-
efit has deepened the struggles for
many, including a higher risk of
eviction from their homes.
President Donald Trump has
signed an executive order to pro-
vide $300 a week in federal unem-
ployment aid, with money drawn
from a disaster relief fund. Twen-
ty-five states have said they will ap-
ply for the federal money, though
they would need to revamp their
computer systems to do so. Other
states are still considering wheth-
er to take that step; two have said
they won’t.
Some states may be hesitating
to overhaul their unemployment
systems because they expect Con-
gress to eventually pass a new res-
cue package with an enhanced job-
less benefit that might not require
any changes.
In states that decide to pay out
the $300, the government esti-
mates it would take three weeks,
on average, for the states to send
the money to the unemployed. And
initially only enough money is be-
ing allotted to cover three weeks of
payments. Even with subsequent
grants, analysts estimate that
there would be enough money to
last only five or six weeks.
The continuing stream of lay-
offs comes against the backdrop
of a modest recovery from a deep
recession and a virus that is still
paralyzing much of the econo-
my. Home construction and sales
have bounced back. So have auto
purchases. But spending on trav-
el, entertainment and many oth-
er services remains weak. Small
businesses are struggling. And
unemployment, at 10.2%, remains
elevated.
More Americans are eating at
restaurants, but the level of seated
dining is still 54% below pre-pan-
demic levels, according to OpenT-
able. And though some employers
are hiring, economists suspect
that the pace is weakening.
Thursday’s jobless claims re-
port showed that in addition to
people who applied last week for
state benefits, roughly 540,000
others sought aid under a new pro-
gram that has made self-employed
and gig workers eligible for the
first time. That figure isn’t adjust-
ed for seasonal variations, so it’s
reported separately from the state
figures.
Including the self-employed
and gig workers already receiving
benefits, 28 million people are re-
ceiving some form of jobless aid,
though that figure may include
double-counting in some states.
That figure is little changed from
a week earlier.
Having lost the $600-a-week
federal benefit, laid-off workers
are having to get by solely on
the much smaller state-provided
checks. In June, the average state
benefit was $308 a week.
In some states, the payouts
are much smaller. Louisiana pays
the nation’s lowest average job-
less benefit: $183. Mississippi is
next-lowest, at $187. The largest
average is in Hawaii, at $456, fol-
lowed by North Dakota and Mas-
sachusetts at $426.
Some large states, like Texas,
Washington, Wisconsin and Geor-
gia, have said they are still con-
sidering whether to apply for the
$300-a-week federal aid. Others,
including California, Pennsylva-
nia and Ohio, have said they will
seek it. Just two, South Dakota and
Mississippi, won’t apply for the
program. South Dakota’s governor
says the state doesn’t need it.
For John Williams, a former
cabdriver in Slidell, Louisiana, just
outside New Orleans, the loss of
the $600 landed him in a food bank
line this week, waiting for grocer-
ies. He now receives just $107 in
state unemployment aid, which is
all that he qualifies for based on
his previous income.
Before the coronavirus dried up
most of his business, Williams, 77,
used to pick up fares at the New
Orleans airport. Now, besides his
jobless aid, he receives about $300
a month from Social Security and a
small pension from a previous job
as a maintenance man in the city’s
school system. He can barely cov-
er his mortgage.
Williams has gone two days
without taking his blood pressure
medication because when he went
to have it refilled, the cost had dou-
bled.
“I’m hanging in there, doing the
best I can,” he said.

AROUND THE WORLD

Strike at Belarus’ state
TV erodes government
control
MINSK, Belarus — In
a new challenge to Belar-
us’ authoritarian ruler,
hundreds of employees of
state television have gone
on strike amid a rising
tide of protests, calling
for his resignation after a
vote the opposition saw as
rigged.
The journalists’ action
this week has shaken the
government’s control of
the media, helping further
erode President Alexan-
der Lukashenko’s grip af-
ter 26 years of iron-fisted
rule.
Vyacheslav Lo-
monosov, one of Belaru-
sian TV employees who
joined the labor action,
said he and his colleagues
could no longer tolerate
an official ban on report-
ing the truth about a bru-
tal crackdown on protests
that has stoked interna-
tional outrage.
“There are people
killed, raped, thousands
are protesting, while
they’re saying every-
thing’s fine in the country
and nothing is going on,”
he said. “It can’t be like
that, people need to get
the truth from TV.”
Police brutally dis-
persed massive protests
challenging Lukashenko’s
victory in the Aug. 9 vote
with rubber bullets, stun
grenades and clubs, injur-
ing hundreds and arrest-
ing nearly 7,000. At least
three protesters died.
Many of the detainees
reported savage beatings
and other abuse in police
custody.
The fierce clampdown
fueled outrage and caused
protests to swell, with an
estimated 200,000 rally-
ing around the Belarusian
capital’s central square on
Sunday in the largest pro-
test the ex-Soviet nation of
9.5 million ever saw.
Since Monday, factory
workers, medical work-
ers, actors, musicians and
other workers have gone
on strike to demand Lu-
kashenko’s resignation.
The walkout of about
300 employees of Belaru-
sian state TV has dealt a
particularly painful blow
to the Belarusian leader,
who has relentlessly sti-
fled independent media
since coming to power
in 1994 and relied on
state-controlled television
and other media to shape
public opinion.
The state television
workers were joined by
journalists from the lead-
ing daily Zvyazda, who put
out a statement demand-
ing an end to censorship.
Facing the massive pro-
tests, the government has
sought to tighten controls
over information.
In the first four days
of protests after the vote,
police deliberately target-
ed journalists from inde-
pendent Belarusian news
outlets and foreign media,
detaining scores, beating
some of them, damaging
their equipment and seiz-
ing memory cards.
Boris Goretsky,
vice-president of the Be-
larusian Association of
Journalists, said 72 jour-
nalists were detained
while covering the pro-
tests.
He said that the author-
ities have blocked many
online independent news
media and denied accred-
itation to hundreds of for-
eign journalists, who have
been eager to come to the
country to cover the pro-
tests.
Goretsky pointed at the
allegations that the gov-
ernment turned to Russia
for help to keep the state
television running, and
some of the striking TV
employees have been re-
portedly replaced with
Russian personnel.
SOURCE: AP
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 3A

LCSD
Continued from Page 1A
next year than in 2020.
LCSD Superintendent
Sam Allison said the dis-
trict is trying to find firm-
er financial footing after
spending down the $17
million fund balance it
boasted in 2014 to about
$6 million on June 30. Be-
cause property taxes are
mostly collected in the
spring, LCSD has deplet-
ed its reserves in the fall
semester the last three
years, taking out loans to
make payroll in Decem-
ber 2018 and 2019, then
repaying those loans with
tax money when it came
in a few months later.
This year, Allison said,
LCSD would probably
need a loan to make Sep-
tember payroll.
“I don’t see how with-
out asking for more mon-
ey (from local taxes) how
we’re ever going to get out
of this hole,” said Allison,
who began working as su-
perintendent in January.
“… We can’t keep borrow-
ing money, even if we can
pay it back in the spring.
We aren’t asking for any-
thing we don’t need to
keep our head above wa-
ter.”
School district taxpay-
ers haven’t seen a millage
rate increase since 1989,
with the school district
instead requesting funds
in local taxes that kept
the rate flat. Last year, the
millage rate actually de-
creased by .06 to 46.65.
With the current pro-
posal, the rate would jump
to at least 51.2, which
drew criticism from some
county supervisors when
Andrews presented them
the figure at their Monday
morning meeting. The
board of supervisors must
approve the school dis-
trict’s local tax request by
Sept. 15, but District 1 Su-
pervisor Harry Sanders
said he isn’t sure the coun-
ty can legally approve the
current request without a
voter referendum. He also
expressed concern over
the county’s ability to re-
cruit industry to take on
such a large tax burden.
“We’ve been able to en-
tice industries to come to
Lowndes County because
of our lower tax base,”
Sanders said. “And then
if we go ahead and raise
taxes ... the next thing you
know, we won’t have any-
body (coming).”
Allison said he realizes
LCSD is asking for a “big
increase” in funds, some
of which will require high-
er taxes. Keeping the tax
flat for more than 30 years
has created gaps in opera-
tions that widen each year.
“The last thing we
want to do is not be a team
player with everyone,” Al-
lison said. “But we have to
get our finances in order.”
Building back
operations;
covering debt
LCSD did not raise tax-
es last year despite rising
bonded debt payments
and a set debt millage
that wasn’t covering the
payments, both Allison
and new district business
manager Sayonia Garvin
said.
The district initially
dedicated 7.69 mills in
2017 to cover debt, which
primarily includes repay-
ing a $44 million bond
voters approved the year
before for various new
construction districtwide.
The 2021 budget shows
$4.5 million in annual debt
service payments due, a
total Garvin said has in-
creased the last two years.
Last fiscal year, the dis-
trict raised its debt mills
to 11.7 and dropped its op-
erating mills from 39.02 to
34.95. Even then, the debt
millage collected about
$100,000 less than what
was owed, Garvin said,
and added the shortfall to
this year’s payment.
The mill increase, Al-
lison said, would mostly
help the district bump its
operating millage back to
39, while also shoring up
the debt payment short-
age.
To cut expenses, Alli-
son said, the district has
eliminated three central
office positions and a few
teaching positions, which
should save the district
between $250,000 and
$300,000 this fiscal year.
‘New’ property
By law, a school district
can increase its request
for local funding for oper-
ations by up to 4 percent
each year without a refer-
endum and up to 7 percent
with a reverse referendum
— requiring 1,500 district
voters to submit a petition
to force it to the ballot.
Any increase exceeding
7 percent requires voter
approval.
But the law allows
school districts to add
estimated collections
from new property enter-
ing the tax rolls to their
request that are exempt
from being counted in
that percentage. That new
property could consist of
new businesses or homes
built, as well as expiring
fee-in-lieu contracts —
an incentive that allows
developments, usually in-
dustrial, valued at $60 mil-
lion or more to pay one-
third of their assessed tax
amount for up to 10 years.
For example, last year
LCSD collected $16.3 mil-
lion in local taxes for oper-
ations. Andrews said be-
tween new builds and 13
industrial fee-in-lieu deals
expiring, the school dis-
trict could claim as much
as $2.5 million in collec-
tions from new property.
Add 4 percent to that, and
the district could request
roughly $19.6 million for
operations without requir-
ing a referendum.
Doing that would only
require a 1.7-mill increase,
Andrews estimated.
A 7-percent increase
would bump the total op-
erating request to $20.1
million — still about $1
million short of what
LCSD is requesting.
But Allison argues the
district’s request is le-
gally in-line because An-
drews is undervaluing the
amount LCSD can claim
from expiring fee-in-lieu.
Since the companies have
paid on one-third of their
assessed value for 10
years, Andrews is count-
ing as “new property”
the difference between
one-third of the original
assessment ($34 million)
and the new full tax as-
sessment after deprecia-
tion ($84 million).
Instead of just counting
collections from $50 mil-
lion in new assessment,
though, Allison said LCSD
should get to include what
$84 million would gener-
ate as new property on its
request. That would allow,
he estimates, the district
to request $27.4 million,
including $21.1 million for
operations, and be within
the 4-percent threshold.
“We’re not trying to
fight with anybody,” Alli-
son said. “Our intent is to
request new property plus
4 percent. If our request
is outside the lines, we’ll
adjust it. … If they reject
it, we’ll have to take steps
to find out why and who’s
right.”
Money on the table
Overall, the value of
the county school district
mill — the amount of mon-
ey one mill can generate
for LCSD — is increasing
from $469,000 to $536,000
this fiscal year, according
to Andrews’ conservative
estimates. That difference,
which includes increased
property values from re-
appraisal, will generate a
total of $3.2 million for the
district (for operations and
debt) with no tax increase
at all. But if LCSD doesn’t
claim new property, and
only increases its request
by 4 percent, it would cap
it at $17 million and actual-
ly cause the millage rate to
drop.
Allison told The Dis-
patch a school district has
“no incentive” to do that.
But Andrews said that’s
happened before and with
much more money at stake.
In 2016, Andrews said,
expiring fee-in-lieu agree-
ments generated $4.7 mil-
lion in collections the dis-
trict didn’t include as new
property on its local tax
request. So, though the set
millage rate collected taxes
at the proper assessed rate,
the school district could
have collected more mills
on that money if they had
requested what they were
legally entitled. That deci-
sion came in spite of the fact
voters had just approved the
$44 million bond.
“Why didn’t they ask for
it in 2016 when it was double
(what it is this year)?” An-
drews said. “Why haven’t
they asked for this until
right now? The biggest year
for fee-in-lieu was 2016, and
they did nothing.”
It wasn’t until this year
that LCSD board member
Brian Clark learned that
had hap-
pened. He
said he had
never un-
derstood
that to be
the case
from previ-
ous years’ Clark
budget
planning and presentations
from former business man-
ager Kenny Hughes, who
was fired earlier this year.
“That’s a lot of money,
and my question would be
‘Why?’” Clark said. “Why
would we leave that money
on the table when we need-
ed it?”
As for increasing taxes,
Clark said he would prefer it
come incrementally, if pos-
sible. In any case, he does
not support any tax increase
that requires a referendum.
“If we need to raise taxes
for the school to educate its
students and cover its bills,
then I think it’s something
we need to look at,” he said.
“… I want to make sure that
the school board and the
board of supervisors both
have an agreed understand-
ing of what the definition
of ‘new property’ is. We
need a solid, singular voice
because we’re serving the
same people.”
Dispatch reporter Yue
Stella Yu contributed to this
report.

Pollitz
Continued from Page 1A
United States, AMC
Theaters, suffered $2.4
billion first-quarter loss
due the national pan-
demic. Also according
to the National Associa-
tion of Theater Owners,
theaters have also lost
93 percent of box office
sales compared to 2019.
The Starkville and
Columbus theaters both
closed in March due to
the pandemic.
In Starkville UEC
Hollywood Premier
Cinema is scheduled to
reopen Friday. The movie
theater will premier new
movies at regular price
and “catalog” movies at
the bargain price of $5.
After nearly five
months of closure, the
theater will finally reopen
its doors. Moviegoers
will be required to wear
masks in the lobby, re-
strooms and hallways but
can remove them while
eating and drinking in
the auditorium.
Guests will also be
asked to “appropriately
distance” their groups
from other guests.
New movie releases
will be “Unhinged” and
“Words on Bathroom
Walls,” while older
titles such as “Sonic the
Hedgehog,” “Jurassic
Park,” “Trolls World
Tour,” “Inception,” “Raid-
ers of the Lost Ark” and
“Back to the Future” will
also be airing.
Although Malco Mov-
ie Theater, which has a
site in Columbus, will
also start opening movie
theaters Friday, Colum-
bus is not on the list of
early theater openings
as of now, but be sure
to stay up to date with
Malco in Columbus for
upcoming opening dates.
Also in Starkville,
Patience McRee has had
a busy few months.
In just 10 weeks, she
has given birth to her
son, purchased a fran-
chise for Main Street and
bought a house.
McRee, along with her
father Rickey McCollum,
hope to open Magnolia
Soap & Bath Company at
222 E. Main St. by Aug. butcher shop on Univer-
31. sity Drive, welcomed its
Magnolia Soap & Bath food truck to Starkville
Company first opened last Thursday. Will
in New Albany and has
Sanders, part owner,
grown to various stores
throughout Mississippi. said the food truck is
The soap store offers open Thursday through
more than 50 scents of Saturday from 11 a.m.-2
bath and skin products p.m. and 6-9 p.m.
that are 100-percent “We’ve been planning
plant-based. to do it for a while, just
McRee said she’s
customers requesting us
excited about moving to
Starkville and sharing to prepare food,” Sanders
the same Magnolia prod- said. “… We’re just really
ucts she loves with the thankful for the commu-
Mississippi State Bulldog nity.”
community. Welcome Home Beef
“I started using the offers burgers, cheese
products over a year ago steaks and street tacos
and fell in love with the
for lunch and dinner and
laundry soap,” she said.
“I introduced it to my ribeyes and New York
mom and dad and they strips for dinner only.
got hooked instantly. …
We are die-hard (Mis-
sissippi) State fans, so
we were thrilled when
Starkville was an option
(for a franchise).
Another establishment
has jumped on the food
truck craze. Welcome
Home Beef, a Starkville

BUILDING PERMITS
City of Columbus
Aug. 10-14, 2020
n Philanshia Shambley; 589 Chandler Road;
new s/f residence; same
n Fox Run Apartments of Columbus LLC; 636
31st Avenue North, Building 4; reroof apart-
ments 123-128; J Miller Roofing
n Mack and Katherine Murray; 406 Winterset
Drive; new s/f residence; G & G remodeling &
Repair LLC
n Grey Car Properties LLC; 3255 Highway
45 North; sign for Patio 45; Curtis & Eurie
Bordenave
n Columbus Community Housing Dev Org Inc;
912 11th Avenue South; Reno 3 cottages, add
hc ramp; same
electrical; Vertis Lee
n Emily Lineer; 408 6th Street South; electri-
cal Absolute Power Solutions
n Louise Sharp; 1009 1/2 Shady Street;
electrical; same
n Steve Ruth and Henry Glover; 818 North
McCrary Road; plumbing; Browning Plumbing
n Sandra Jones; 1507 12th Avenue North;
plumbing; Klutts Plumbing
Lowndes County
Aug. 19, 2020
n Debra Rogers; Hwy 45 Alt. S; set up mobile
home; owner
n Debra Rogers; Hwy 45 Alt. S; move mobile
home; Regional Enterprise SOLUNAR TABLE
n Aretina Davis; 379 W. Minnie Vaughn Road; The solunar period indicates

n Marcel Pilate; 1002 Moss Street; electrical; set up mobile home; RM&R Services, Inc.
peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Thur. Fri.
Major 2:09a 3:01a
Joseph Harris Jr
n Aretina Davis; 379 W. Minnie Vaughn Road; Minor 8:23a 9:29a
n Gayle Guynup; 201 W Alabama Street; move mobile home; Columbus Mobile Homes Major 2:35p 3:26p
Minor 9:01p 9:37p
electrical; Joseph Harris Jr n Curtis Desmidt; Stanley Raod; set up mobile Courtesy of Mississippi Department

n Jerome Jordan; 2714 7th Avenue North; home; owner

of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

electrical; Beavers Electric

n Tommy Taylor; 223 Meadow Drive; electrical;
Easley Refrigeration & Electric
n Russell Childs; 205 Riverdale Drive; electri-
cal; Mark Thompson Electric
n 50’s Properties LLC; 2605 Cleda Drive;
electrical; Mark Thompson Electric
n Nancy Mitchell; 416 Forest Court; electrical;
Beavers Electric
n Wade Wilson; 2413 5th Avenue South;
n Curtis Desmidt; Stanley Raod; move mobile
home; Simmons Mobile Home
n Shirley Coleman; 453 Oswalt Road; con-
struct commercial building; owner
n Craig Pegg; 274 N. Watson Road; construct
pole barn; owner
n Dickson; Hope Springs Road; construct s/f
residence; Clardy Home Development
n Rod Dismuke; 456 Jolly Road; remodel s/f
residence; Dismuke Construction
The Dispatch
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Published daily except Saturday. Answers to common questions:
Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
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Opinion
4A THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 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
How should LCSD eat an elephant? One bite at a time
There has been an elephant
in the room at Lowndes Coun-
ty School District. Over the
past several years, the district
has lived beyond its means,
sometimes because of forces
beyond its control, but more
often out of negligence. In the
span of the past six years, the
district went from having a ro-
bust $17 million in reserves to
borrowing money just to meet
payroll. By last year, the dis-
trict had run up a $2.5 million
deficit, which led to the elimi-
nation of nearly 60 jobs for the
2020 school year. Classes for
the 2021 school year begin on
Sept. 1 and already superin-
tendent Sam Allison has said
the district likely needs a tax
anticipation loan — essentially
a payday loan — to meet its
September payroll. Similar
loans were used the past two
years to meet payroll.
Ultimately, that failure to
recognize and deal with that
“elephant in the room” cost
LCSD superintendent Lynn
Wright his job.
Allison, who assumed
the role of superintendent in
January, deserves credit for
recognizing what was plain for
most to see and for his efforts
to address the problem.
Yet there is an old saying
that applies to that effort:
“How do you eat an elephant?
One bite at a time.”
According to tax assessor
Greg Andrews’ conservative
estimate, new developments,
reassessment and the expira-
tion of fee-in-lieu agreements
will boost the value of the
school district’s mill from
$469,000 to $536,000, bring-
ing in an additional $3 million
without raising new taxes.
In an effort to completely
shore up finances and rebuild
the district’s fund balance,
LCSD has requested roughly
$2.5 million on top of that $3
million, bringing the total
increase in local taxes request-
ed to $5.5 million for the 2021
school year. While we com-
mend Allison for his efforts
to “eat the elephant,” we do
question the wisdom of trying
to eat the elephant in one bite.
To raise taxes at a time
when property tax revenues
will have organically increased
14.2 percent is an awfully
large bite to swallow, one that
taxpayers are likely to choke
on.
We urge the school district
to exercise a more measured,
stepped approach in its
request. This problem wasn’t
created overnight and could
likely be corrected over time
with very little additional
impact on taxpayers.
Any increase in taxes
should be modest, geared to
arresting the problem, get-
ting the district’s finances in
a more realistic position and
allowing more time to bring an
end to the problem altogether.
As it is right now, we strong-
ly believe the elephant before
the district is simply too large
to eat in one bite.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Voice of the people

Leaders need accountability and respectability
We as citizens of Lowndes County thank God
for opening any legislator’s eyes concerning the
people of Lowndes County being robbed with
our eyes opened. If you don’t get your concerns
addressed locally, google the attorney general’s
office; someone will guide you where your needs
will be addressed.
Now keep your eyes opened so there won’t be a
repeat of our blind leaders allowing such corrup-
tion. We need new leadership in 2021.
The monument is being moved! Let a new coun-
cil be elected that fears God! If every young person
knew your business — where you hang out, what
you drink or smoke, you “won’t get no respect.”
We need to get back to accountability and
respectability.
If old people are smoking, joking and telling
lies, gambling and cussing along with the young,
Aretha Franklin can’t sing; she’s gone; you reap
what you sow. God sees and hears.
Pat Fisher Douglas
Columbus

A letter to the editor is an excellent way to partic-

ipate in your community. We request the tone of your
letters be constructive and respectful and the length be
limited to 450 words. We reserve the right to edit let-
ters for clarity, grammar and length. While commen-
tary on national issues is always welcome, we limit
candidate 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.

CAMPAIGN 2020
OTHER EDITORS
Virus data from schools
The importance of John Kasich vs. AOC
The Democratic Na- only 10 months older that curtail access to abortion, or
tional Convention gave than AOC. even birth control.

important to share with former Ohio Gov. John

Kasich, a Republican,
four minutes to offer
It’s no huge feat to
win a seat in a totally
safe Democratic (or
The 2020 Democratic Party
platform says unequivocally that
every woman should have access

communities his endorsement of Joe

Biden. Rep. Alexan-
dria Ocasio-Cortez,
Republican) district.
The moderate Demo-
crats who flipped seats
to “safe and legal abortion.” Biden
supports a right to abortion. And,
by the way, Kasich didn’t even
As schools in the region continue to reopen, left-wing media star, in purple parts of the mention abortion in his conven-
including Tupelo Public School District on Monday, got only a minute and country are the true tion speech.
we are encouraged to hear that the State Depart- a half. The Democrats party heroes. They Bernie Sanders’ endorsement
ment of Health will mandate that school districts knew what they were don’t tend toward flash. of Biden was a masterpiece. No
will submit coronavirus data and that those up- doing. Froma Harrop And in representing hesitation, no harping over policy
dates will be publicized. Kasich made the districts outside the details on which Sanders and
This is after previous news indicated that case for Republicans and indepen- media corridors on the coasts, Biden disagree. Sanders remains
school districts in the state would not be required dents who regret their 2016 vote they draw too little attention. an inspiration to many on the left,
to inform the public of cases among students and for Donald Trump — or didn’t As for Kasich’s pro-life beliefs, and his ardent fans should follow
faculty. During a panel discussion on Thursday, vote — to stop the president’s it happens that many Democrats his example. That means setting
rampage against normality. He share them, especially in the aside their critiques for the mo-
reported by Daily Journal reporter Danny McAr-
was adding votes to Biden’s tally. immigrant communities that form ment and concentrating on what’s
thur, State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said that
The day Kasich spoke, AOC a good part of the Democratic at stake.
MSDH is working out the reporting issue process tweeted that “a Republican who base. And there are other pro-life If they are politically astute,
as schools are beginning to submit the data. fights against women’s rights Americans who dislike President the activists — on climate, sexual
“We are going to mandate that the schools doesn’t get to say who is or isn’t Donald Trump but feel Democrats identity or whatever — will stop
submit to us on a weekly basis the number of cases representative of the Dem party.” scorn them. sniping at Biden in this race
that they have, the number of classes affected, She was subtracting votes, the Opposition to abortion is where the alternative is Trump.
quarantine, the number of quarantined individu- definition of political malpractice. not my view, but it’s a view that They would have every right to
als,” Dobbs said. “We do plan on posting that data AOC should know that high deserves respect. If Kasich can try influencing a Biden presi-
by school.” school is over. In politics, the draw some social conservatives to dency, but in case some haven’t
Dobbs said those under 18 will be the fastest popular girls (and boys) don’t de- the Biden side and help him over noticed, he’s not president yet.
growing group of total cases, and we expect that clare who is “in” and who is “out.” the finish line, where is the prob- Bernie said on Monday night,
will continue to be the case as more schools start AOC does that a lot, opining from lem for any Democrat — assum- “As long as I am here, I will work
back. As of Friday, Dobbs said 38 counties have her woke bunker who deserves ing the objective is to win? with progressives, with moder-
schools reporting cases. Overall, 109 teachers and admission to or rejection from the Many on the activist left ignore ates and, yes, with conservatives
69 students have confirmed cases, while another Democratic Party of her mind. the obvious: Their liberal strong- to preserve this nation” from the
If the Democrats wanted to holds can’t win national elections. threat of Trumpism. He’s blessing
254 teachers and staff and 489 students are in
showcase the party’s young The candidate who pulls in the Biden’s big tent, and so should all
quarantine.
future, they could have profitably most Electoral College votes is Democrats. Welcome, John Ka-
Corinth School District was the first to open in handed AOC’s 90 seconds to Rep. the one who gets the power. It sich, and anyone else who cares
the state and has set the standard for communicat- Abby Finkenauer. In 2018, Finke- is this power that has enabled to enter.
ing the latest from its schools. As of this publi- nauer defeated an incumbent tea Trump to stomp over a variety Froma Harrop, a syndicated
cation, the district reported 13 positive cases for party Republican in northeast of social and political norms. columnist, writes for the Provi-
students and three staff members since starting Iowa. Part of an electoral wave Advocates for reproductive rights dence (Rhode Island) Journal. Her
back on July 27. that delivered control of the know it lets him name Supreme e-mail address is fharrop@gmail.
As we have previously written, it is of the up- House to the Democrats, she is Court justices and push measures com.
most importance to get our children back in school
but must do so in a way that makes sense to keep
the students, faculty and their loved ones safe.
We hope to see the level of transparency from Local journalism matters
our local schools, as we’ve seen from Corinth. This Support The Dispatch by subscribing or advertising
information is valuable to each community and to 662-328-2424 or cdispatch.com
help parents make decisions for their children.
(Tupelo) Daily Journal
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 5A

COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
OBITUARY POLICY
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Peggy Stone
DETROIT, Ala. —
Peggy Stone, 84, died
Gifford officiating.
Otts Funeral Home of
Sulligent was in charge
of arrangements.
Mrs. Stone, Alma
Audeen, was born Oct.
of 1935, to the late
Floyd and Myrtice Clif-
ton. She was formerly
employed picking
cotton, with Tollgate
and Detroit Slacks and
cleaning businesses
and her local church.
She was a member of
Detroit Church of God.
In addition to her
parents, she was pre-
ceded in death by her
husband, Bobby Stone;
and brother, Charles
Clifton.
She is survived by
her children, Richie
Stone and Sherrie
Armstrong; three
grandchildren; and
four great-grandchil-
dren.
Pallbearers were
Tyler Stone, Seth
Armstrong, Terry
Lockhart, Marty Tate,
Harold Wayne Hulsey
and Jimmy Armstrong.
Rose Ling
VERNON, Ala. —
Rose Ann Ling, 51,
AREA OBITUARIES
is in Henry Ashford Claudell Edwards Rev. Arnell Edwards
charge of Jr. of West Point and
STARKVILLE — STARKVILLE —
arrange- Henry Clinton Ash- Claudell Edwards, 72, Lurena Campbell of St.
ments. died Aug. 13, 2020. Louis, Missouri; and 12
ford, 70, died Aug. 15,
Mrs. grandchildren.
2020. Funeral Services will
Ling was
Graveside services be at 11 a.m. Friday, at
born May Beulah Lee
will be at 11 a.m. Beth-el M.B. Church.
30, 1969, Ling
Friday, in New Light Burial will follow in ETHELSVILLE,
in North
Cemetery, with the Mt. Peiler Cemetery II. Ala. — Beulah Lee, 99,
Alabama, and was ad-
Rev. David Landfair Sr. Visitation is from 2-6 died Aug. 15, 2020, at
opted by Jim and Lois
officiating. Visitation p.m. today, at West Me- her residence.
Eulene Knight. She A graveside home
is from 1-5 p.m. today, morial Funeral Home.
was formerly employed going celebration will
at Century Hairston West Memorial Funeral
as a secretary for the be at 11 a.m. Sunday, in
Funeral Home. Cen- Home of Starkville is
Vernon Fire Depart- Strawbridge Cemetery,
tury Hairston Funeral in charge of arrange-
ment.
Home of Starkville is ments. with the Rev. Robert
She is survived by
in charge of arrange- He is survived by his Williams officiating.
her husband, Michael
ments. children, Rodney Ed- Visitation will be
Dewayne Ling; and
Mr. Ashford was wards of Madison, Aus- from 1-6 p.m. today,
children, Frances Ca-
born Aug. 24, 1949, tin Edwards of Macon, at Lavender’s Funeral
rissann “Crissy” Ling
in Starkville, to the Autuan Edwards of Dal- Service. Lavender’s
and Brandon Dewayne
late Wilson Ashford las, Texas and Gregory Funeral Services of
Ling.
Sr. and Ruby Black- Brown of Jacksonville, Aliceville is in charge
man Ashford. He was Arkansas; siblings, of arrangements.
George Ware formerly employed as a
STARKVILLE —
George Ware, 84, died mechanic.
Aug. 12, 2020. He is survived by
Graveside services his wife, Betty Ash-
will be at 11 a.m. ford; children, Michael
Ward, Henry Ward,
Friday, in Chickie Hill
Cemetery of Maben. Drashinda Ward-But-
Visitation is from ler and Tikima Ward;
noon-6 p.m. at West siblings, Annette
Memorial Funeral Johnson, Arleen
Home. West Memo- Yarborough, Cheryl
rial Funeral Home of Henly, Rochelle Minor,
Starkville is in charge Vanessa Ashford, Rev.
of arrangements. Wilson Ashford Jr.,

James Norris, Jr.

Aug. 17, 2020, at her
residence.
Graveside services
were at 6 p.m. Wednes-
day, in Kingsville
Cemetery, with David
IN NATION
Northern California
wildfires threatening
thousands of homes
VACAVILLE, Calif. —
Wildfires raged through
Northern California on
Wednesday, threatening
died Aug. 18, 2020, at
her residence.
No services are
scheduled at this time.
Dowdle Funeral Home
of Millport, Alabama
ian Helicopters, based
in Fillmore, which had
a contract with the state
fire agency, Cal Fire, to
provide emergency ser-
vices on a call-when-need-
ed basis, said Zoe Keliher,
an investigator with the
He is survived by Rev. Kenyon F. Ashford
his daughter, Anna and Rev. Tony Ashford;
Jordon; brother, Ross eight grandchildren;
Ware; and two grand- and three great-grand- James Dean Norris, Jr. (Jimmy) 78, passed
children. children. away at Starkville Manor Nursing Home on
August 19, 2020.
Born on May 13, 1942, he was the much loved
son of James Dean Norris, Sr. (Jimmie) and Julia
Moon Critz Norris. He was a 1960 graduate of
Starkville High School, after which he enrolled
in the National Guard and was stationed at Fort
Hundreds of fires have storms that flashed light-
Sill, Oklahoma. Jimmy always loved farming. As
erupted since the start of ning. a young boy and teenager, he helped his father
the week as a heat wave California had record- on their family farm and dairy. He later went in
accompanied by humid ed nearly 11,000 strikes partnership with his father-in-law, Carl Stuart
air created a dangerous in 72 hours, Gov. Gavin Parrish, and farmed soybeans and wheat. He
mix of triple-digit tem- Newsom said Wednesday. then started farming on his own and especially
peratures and thunder- SOURCE: AP loved the planting and the harvest seasons. In his
earlier years of farming, he was named to Who’s

thousands of homes and
blackening the skies near
San Francisco as crews
struggled to surround
them despite steep ter-
rain and blistering heat.
The fires, many caused
by lightning and some-
times pushed by strong
winds, had burned hun-
dreds of thousands of
acres as they chewed
through brushland, rural
areas, canyon country
and dense forest to the
north, east and south of
San Francisco. Fires also
carved their way through
the wine country and the
Sierra Nevada.
In addition to about
two dozen major blazes,
small fires kept erupting,
though most were quickly
stopped.
In central California, a
pilot on a water dropping
mission in western Fres-
no County died Wednes-
day morning when his he-
licopter crashed about an
hour from New Coalinga
Municipal Airport.
The pilot, whose name
has not been released,
was working with Guard-
Mildred Austin
National Transportation
Safety Board.
Mildred Lucille Austin, 89, of Columbus, MS
passed away Tuesday, August 18, 2020, at North
Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo, MS.
A family graveside service will be held Friday,
August 21, 2020, at 10:00 AM at Memorial
Gardens, with Bro. Ron Delgado officiating
and Lowndes Funeral Home Columbus, MS
directing.
Mrs. Austin was born December 9, 1930,
in Talledega, AL, to the late Nellie Wesley
Newsome and Thomas E. Newsome. She worked
at Austin Williams Florist for many years. Mrs.
Austin attended House of Restoration, Vibrant,
and Assembly Church. She enjoyed taking care
of others, as was a member of Eastern Star and
Friendly City Garden Club.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Austin is
preceded in death by her husband, Howell Austin;
and two sisters, Linda Maddox and Jean Hayes.
Mrs. Austin is survived by her daughters,
Sami Austin and Jane (Dennis) Harmon both
of Columbus, MS; son, Tony (Judy) Austin of
Newton, MS; grandchild, Riley (Ashely) Austin;
four great-grandchildren; brothers, Ralph
Newsome and Donald Newsome; and sister,
Ellen Jordan.
Memorials may be made to Shriners Hospital
for Children 815 Market St. Galveston, TX 77550.
Compliments of
Lowndes Funeral Home
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
Who in the South. Jimmy was a descendant of
some of Starkville’s oldest families. His maternal
grandfather, Hugh Critz, was President of
Mississippi State University from 1930-1934,
during which time the name of the University was
changed from Mississippi A&M to Mississippi
State College. In 1850, Jimmy’s great great great
grandfather, William Gage Gillespie, built the
beautiful antebellum Gillespie-Jackson House,
which is located on the corner of Louisville
Street and Highway 12 in Starkville. This home
is loved by many people in this area and is a
local landmark. Jimmy was a member of The
First United Methodist Church in Starkville. A
church attended by his maternal family for many
generations. His fourth great grandfather, Robert
Lampkin, provided the land on which the church
is built, with the stipulation that the land never
be sold and that the church would always remain
at that location. Jimmy loved this church and
attended from his birth with his family, and later
as an adult. Even when his health worsened and he
did not attend church, he would faithfully watch
the services on television on Sunday mornings.
His paternal grandfather, W.T. Norris, was one
of the founders and original board members of
the old Security State Bank in Starkville and
Maben Home Bank. His father, Jimmie Norris,
Sr., owned the old Lakeside Golf Course and
Country Club, which is now the Mississippi State
University Golf Course. Jimmy loved to hunt on
this family land before it became a golf course,
then as a teenager and young adult, he enjoyed
playing golf there. He also loved fishing in Norris
Lake, which adjoins the golf course. Jimmy was
an avid hunter and fisherman his whole life,

Harley Jo Cantrell
Baby Harley Jo Cantrell of Caledonia, MS
passed away Saturday, August 15, 2020, at
LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center, Memphis,
TN.
A funeral service will be Friday, August 21,
2020 at 3:00 PM at Victory Tabernacle , 550 Ridge
Road with Bro. Jared Glover officiating. Interment
will be in Vaughn Cemetery, Caledonia, MS with
Lowndes Funeral Home directing.
Harley Jo was born July 9, 2020, in Tupelo, MS
to Amber and Michael Cantrell.
She is preceded in death by her paternal and
maternal grandfathers, Bobby Rast and Mike
Cantrell.
Harley Jo is survived by her parents, Amber
and Michael Cantrell both of Caledonia, MS;
brother, Michael “Trey” Cantrell III; sister,
Alana Cantrell; paternal grandmother, Bonnie
(Allen) Cantrell; maternal grandmother, Dana
Rast; aunts, Beverly Taylor, Kayla Rast, Rebecca
(Rodney Garrard) Lester and Stephanie
Cantrell; great-grandmother, Kathy Rast; great-
grandfather, William “Titum” Langford; and a
host of cousins.
Pallbearers will be Matthew Aaron and Avery
Prowell.
Memorials may be made to LeBonheur
Children’s Medical Center 50 N. Dunlop
Memphis, TN.
Compliments of
Lowndes Funeral Home
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
Angela Shelton enjoying hunting and fishing with his sons, Jay
and John, his nephews, and his friends. As his
health started failing and he wasn’t able to hunt
Angela Shelton, 59, of and fish as he always loved to, he would sit on
Columbus, MS passed his front porch watching everything that went
Tuesday, August 18, 2020, at on around his house and land, reminiscing about
Baptist Memorial Hospital- the days when he was able to enjoy the outdoors.
GT. He always loved to be outdoors. He also liked to
A memorial service will hang out at Mike Latham’s Body Shop and spent
be Friday, August 21, 2020, many days there.
at 11:00 AM at Yorkville A memorial service celebrating his life will
Heights, with Dylan Williams be held at a later date, with his brother-in-law,
officiating. Rev. Roy McKay, and nephew, Rev. Andy Parrish,
Mrs. Shelton was born on officiating.
July 7, 1961, in Oklahoma City, OK, to the late Jimmy is survived by his wife, Donna Sue
Lyla Jean Mosby and Leo Dusenberry. She loved Parrish Norris, of Starkville; sons, Jay Norris
her cats, reading, and her flowers. Mrs. Shelton of Starkville and John Norris (Pam) of Macon;
enjoyed and loved spending time with her family grandchildren, Wyatt Norris and Sarah Norris;
and taking pictures. and his sister, Mary Lynn Norris Seitz (Kenneth)
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Shelton of Starkville. He is also survived by two first
is preceded in death by her brother, Randy cousins he loved, Jean Critz Lindsey and Dean
Dusenberry. Norris Mann. They loved him and were always
Mrs. Shelton is survived by her husband of 18 so good to check on him.
years, David Shelton of Columbus, MS; daughter, He was preceded in death by his loving parents,
Danielle (Heath) Simpson; son, Shanon (Sonia) Jimmie D. Norris, Sr. and Julia Moon Critz Norris;
Barham; step-son, Derek (Heather) Shelton; his daughter, Laura Dean Norris, who absolutely
grandchildren, Kaitlyn Barham, Breelyn adored her daddy; and his infant daughter, Jeri
Simpson, Kaleb Woo and Naomi Woo; sister, Lynn Norris. He is having a wonderful reunion
Candy (Max) Jo Westmoreland; brother, with all of them in Heaven now.
Sean Dusenberry; and step-mother, Elaine If you wish to make a donation in memory of
Dusenberry. him, please donate to The First United Methodist
Memorials may be made to the donors choice. Church, your church, or favorite charity. You can
leave a condolence at www.welchfuneralhomes.
Compliments of
Lowndes Funeral Home Paid Obituary - Welch Funeral Home
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
6A THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020
Airbus
Continued from Page 1A
An H125 helicopter specifically designed for U.S. Customs and Border Protection sits at Lowndes County’s
Airbus facility on Airport Road Wednesday waiting to be delivered. Airbus has contracted with CBP to design and
deliver 16 such helicopters — the first of which has been completed and is already being used for CBP opera-
tions — over the next 14 months. A congressional delegation and members of CBP toured the facility Wednes-
day in celebration of the helicopters.
cility and meet with
employees. U.S.
Sen. Cindy Hyde-
Smith was also on
the program but
had to cancel at the
last minute due to a
family emergency.
Kelly
“We are here
today to make a
statement to you,
these teammates
and these people
that make America
work, that we are
committed to this
aircraft,” Wicker Wicker
said in an address
to employees. “We
are committed to
production and
we’re doing it for
the right reason.
We love employees.
We love jobs in Mis-
sissippi and jobs in Younger
America. But the
main point we’re
making is this aircraft is essential
to the security of the United States
of America, and we all benefit from
it.”
Airbus has built more than 100
helicopters for CBP since 1987,
and they currently make up about
50 percent of the department’s
fleet and 65 percent of the depart-
Outbreak
Continued from Page 1A
they and the other 71 students in
the nursing class are all quaran-
tining for 14 days while the class
will be taught online, according to
a Wednesday press release from
MUW.
“Our normal procedures would
have been instructing those
close contacts to quarantine, but
(MSDH) said that because these
cases were all within a certain co-
hort, three or four cases trigger
treating it as an outbreak, and that
requires quarantine of everyone,”
Miller said.
Contract tracing has shown that
the spread of the virus “apparently
did not occur on our campus,” let
alone in the nursing classroom,
she said.
Some of the students have
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
ment’s flight hours, said Steve
Boyer, deputy executive assistant
commissioner of policy, Air and
Marine Operations at CBP.
“We use this fleet every day,” he
said, “in everything from narcot-
ics operations to national events
like the Super Bowl.”
He and Executive Director of
Operations, Air and Marine Op-
erations Dennis Michelin said the
new helicopters provide security
for agents on the ground during in-
vestigations and operations. Kelly,
in his remarks to employees, add-
ed CBP’s helicopters have been
used in search and rescue mis-
sions in remote areas near the bor-
der as well as for patrol and other
law enforcement procedures.
“It’s just changed the way we
do business,” Boyer later told The
Dispatch. “It’s allowed us to work
more effectively. It’s efficient. It’s
a safety net for our employees that
are on the ground that we’ve never
had before, so it’s a game-chang-
er.”
Trapp said Airbus will deliver
one helicopter a month through
October 2021.
Airbus opened its facility in
Columbus in 2003 and expanded
in 2006. More than 750 employ-
ees — about 40 percent of whom
are veterans — currently work at
the facility, according to an Airbus
moved into the residence hall
MUW designated specifically for
quarantine. Miller said the build-
ing has about 22 rooms.
The university has recom-
mended COVID-19 testing for all
students in the nursing class, and
while MUW has limited testing
resources, MSDH will send a team
to campus Monday to administer
some tests to the quarantined stu-
dents, Miller said.
All four students who tested pos-
itive were on campus within a week
before receiving the diagnosis,
according to the tracker. Students
who live on campus spent last week
moving into residence halls, but
Miller said the four COVID-posi-
tive students all live off-campus.
MUW implemented social dis-
Isabelle Altman/Dispatch Staff
press release distributed at the
event.
Legislators said it is Missis-
sippi and the Golden Triangle ar-
ea’s skilled workforce that makes
the production of such high-tech
equipment possible.
Younger told employees he is
proud to have such a “jewel” as
the Airbus facility in his district,
which not all Mississippi legisla-
tors can say.
“This is quality. I wish they
would make a pick-up for me on
the farm because I don’t believe
you could tear it up,” he joked.
Both Kelly and Wicker said
there are pockets of high-tech in-
dustry all over the state, but espe-
cially in the Golden Triangle.
“You can’t get any more Amer-
ican-made than that helicopter
here in Mississippi,” Kelly said.
“… You have technology and de-
fense-driven businesses that are
coming to Mississippi.”
Wicker called the Golden Tri-
angle’s industrial development op-
portunities “a howling success.”
“Hardly anybody does it better
than the Golden Triangle, whether
it’s training or job creation or in-
dustrial recruitment,” he said. “…
We got drones, we got steel. We
got the most sophisticated aircraft
in the world.”
tancing and a protective face cov-
ering requirement for students’
return to campus, according to its
website. Miller said administration
is working closely with state health
officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs to keep
campus as safe as possible.
“Unfortunately, we knew we
were going to have COVID on cam-
pus coming back, and we’re follow-
ing our procedures and working
through it,” she said.
As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, Lown-
des County has 1,167 confirmed
positive COVID-19 cases and 47
deaths, including one new death on
Tuesday, according to the MSDH
website.
MSDH did not respond to a
request for comment Thursday
morning.
Sports MISSISSIPPI STATE FOOTBALL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000 B
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020
SECTION

MSU PLAYERS STAYING CAUTIOUS AMID STUDENTS’ RETURN TO CAMPUS

BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — Mis-
sissippi State football’s
leadership is preaching
responsibility.
With fall camp en-
during amid the global
COVID-19 pandemic, se-
nior defensive end Kobe
Jones and his fellow up-
perclassmen have been
largely bubbled off to the
general public through-
out voluntary in-person
workouts this summer.
But with classes resum-
ing Monday at MSU and
students largely back on
campus, the football team
is now at greater chance
of infection despite the
best efforts of administra-
tors and thus forces more
day-to-day decision mak-
ing on players.
“Around the team we’re
emphasizing to kind of set
the standard in society,
around the community,
in Starkville,” Jones said.
“Like wearing masks, tak-
ing safety precautions,
keeping our hands clean
and things like that. And
on top of that, I feel like
we do feel safer at work.”
Siphoned off from the
normal pleasures college
students enjoy, the Bull-
dogs have undergone per-
sistent COVID-19 testing
throughout the offseason
and are slated to receive
three tests per week ac-
cording to Southeastern
Conference guidelines
should the season actual-
ly kick off.
Given the isolation this
fall has brought, coupled
with the temptations that
come with living on or
near a college campus,
players are getting in-
creasingly boring, albeit
with a purpose, in their
everyday lives.
Senior linebacker Er-
roll Thompson, who re-
turned to MSU despite
testing the NFL Draft
waters this spring, said
he and Jones have spent
ample time on the phone
in between games of Mad-
den each night.
Echoing Thompson’s
sentiments, junior receiv-
er Austin Williams, who’s
enrolled in MSU’s online
MBA program, said his
life has been made easier
given his virtual class set-
ting.
That said, with the
chaos that ensues with
undergrads returning
to campuses in the fall,
both conceded the team’s
task of staying out of pop-
ulated areas and ensur-
ing their safety has been
made harder given the
addition of roughly 20,000
new Starkvillians from all
corners of the country.
Thompson, a captain
on last year’s squad, noted
he, Jones, Stanford gradu-
ate transfer K.J. Costello,
senior receiver Osirus
Mitchell and sophomore
cornerback Martin Emer-
son have been among the Courtesy of MSU Athletics
more outspoken leaders Senior linebacker Erroll Thompson said he and the rest of his teammates have taken
See MSU, 2B precautions to help ensure a 2020 football season can happen.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Starkville Academy still feels confident in return trip to title game BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — ent to return to the MAIS
Chase Nicholson didn’t
even have to ask.
The Starkville Acad-
emy football coach typi-
cally holds voluntary film
sessions each Sunday, but
this week, ahead of Fri-
day’s season opener at La-
mar School, he didn’t plan
on having one.
So several Volunteers
took it upon themselves
to call and organize a Sun-
day film study. Besides
two injured players, only
one Vols player wasn’t
able to make it — a par-
ticipation rate of over 90
percent.
“That kind of tells
you the leadership and
the work ethic that they
have,” Nicholson said.
Dispatch file photo
Those qualities will be
Starkville Academy will have the tall task of replacing 17 seniors from last year,
necessary for a team that
including eight of its 11 defensive starters, and must replace a lot of talent to return
graduated 17 seniors last
to the MAIS Class 5A championship game.
year, including eight of its
11 defensive starters, and
must replace a lot of tal-
Class 5A championship
game.
“You see a lot of fac-
es that are back on both
sides of the ball, but you
see a lot of new faces, too,
which is pretty standard
for us,” Nicholson said.
Many of the play-
ers Starkville Academy
brings back played some
last season but didn’t hold
down starting roles all
year. Outside linebacker
Bo Carter, for example,
spelled star Matt Miller
late in the season when
Miller missed snaps with
a knee injury. Carter also
filled in at the other out-
side linebacker position
on occasion.
“Bo has seen a lot of ac-
tion, especially in the last
half of the season, so he’s
almost a returning starter
in that sense,” Nicholson
said.
Carter said Miller —
whom he called one of the
great players in Starkville
Academy history —
taught him a lot in terms
of aggressiveness and
playing style.
“I’m trying to play like
he is: 100 percent effort
at all times, make big
plays, make my fits right
so everyone behind me
can succeed, too,” Carter
said.
Nicholson said that
each time the Vols lose
a player of Miller’s cali-
ber — like Taylor Arnold,
Houston Clark or Noah
Methvin — someone in-
evitably leaps into that
role sooner or later, and
he can’t wait to see who
this year’s “alpha male”
will be.
“That’s part of the
mentality of Starkville
See VOLS, 2B

West Point sets sights on fifth straight championship

BY GARRICK HODGE
ghodge@cdispatch.com
WEST POINT — Last
year couldn’t have ended
better for West Point foot-
ball.
The Green Wave de-
feated Picayune 38-26
in the MHSAA Class 5A
state championship for its
11th state championship
in school history, match-
ing South Panola for the
most ever in the state of
Mississippi. It was also
the fourth consecutive ti-
tle for West Point.
In normal circumstanc-
es, the Green Wave would
be focused solely on mak-
ing history by capturing
their fifth straight state
championship. But with
the COVID-19 pandemic
continuing to be a nui-
sance, West Point Chris
Chambless said his team
will simply be thankful
for each day it’s allowed to
compete.
“You never know if
you’re going to have to-
morrow or not with a (po-
tential) shutdown,” Cham-
bless said. “You just don’t
know. You have to handle
things different for you.”
Yet, as long as there
are games on the calen-
dar, the Green Wave will
be prepared, Chambless
said.
“This is different for
everybody right now,”
Chambless said of the
new team protocols in
place. “But the goals are
still the same. We have
the same goal, this year
is just a little tougher. But
everyone is on the same
playing field with it. As
long as they let us play,
we’re going to prepare to
play and get ready to go.”
Since practice started
Monday, West Point has
put a priority on social
distancing when possi-
ble, wearing masks in the
locker room and rigorous
cleaning and sanitizing.
“It’s totally different
from what we normally
do,” Chambless said. “We
keep things pretty clean
around here normally,
but we’ve gone to a to-
tally different level this
year. Hand sanitizer is
everywhere on the prac-
tice field and inside of the
buildings. Our young men
and coaches have handled
this very well, they know
Dispatch file photo
for us to be able to get
The 2020 West Point football team has its eyes set on capturing its fifth straight
through the year and play state championship. The Green Wave defeated Picayune 38-26 in the MHSAA Class
See WEST POINT, 2B 5A state championship last year.
2B THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

NASCAR’s Kyle Larson to AP on slur: ‘I was just ignorant’

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
INDIANAPOLIS — What do
you do when the entire world be-
lieves you are a racist? When your
career has collapsed because you
uttered the N-word while playing
a late night video game?
Kyle Larson packed his things
and left North Carolina, return-
ing to his native California too
embarrassed to show his face in
public.
The facts were plain and
he doesn’t deny them: He was
iRacing in April, couldn’t hear
his spotter on his headset and
used the racist slur to get his col-
leagues’ attention. His downfall
was swift: The 28-year-old Lar-
son lost his sponsors, his job and
any shot at a multimillion-dollar
contract in NASCAR’s upcoming
free agency.
Depressed and devastated,
Larson began a journey to un-
derstand both why he had said
the word and how to grow from
the experience. What he discov-
ered was that he’d been living in
a bubble most of his life in which
winning races was the only thing
that mattered.
“I was just ignorant. And im-
mature. I didn’t understand the
negativity and hurt that comes
with that word,” Larson told The
Associated Press. “That’s not a
word that I had ever used. I grew
up in Northern California, all I
ever did was race and that’s all I
was focused on. There’s proba-
bly a lot of real-life experiences I
didn’t get to have and I was just
ignorant to how hurtful that word
is.”
Larson sat down with the AP
on Wednesday for his first inter-
view since he was fired April 15
by Chip Ganassi Racing after ev-
ery sponsor cut ties. He had also
been suspended by NASCAR and
needed to complete a sensitivity
training course for reinstatement.
Larson took the course. Then
he decided he needed to do more.
He connected with retired
soccer star Tony Sanneh, whose
foundation works on youth devel-
opment and empowerment in the
Minneapolis area. Larson went to
visit Sanneh and volunteer at the
foundation in the weeks before
the city — and the nation — were
rocked by the death of George
Floyd in police custody.
Floyd died a few weeks after
that first visit and Larson again
returned to Minneapolis. Sanneh
took him to the site where Floyd
died and they toured parts of the
city heavily damaged in protests
over racial injustice.
This was new ground for Lar-
son. His family — father Mike
and mother Janet, both devout in
raising their son to make proper
life decisions, be a good person
and treat people equally — made
racing a hobby. When Larson be-
gan go-karting at 7 they used all
discretionary income on further-
ing his racing career.
“I never really realized how
privileged I was in the way I grew
up,” Larson said. “I never had to
really worry about anything and I
guess I was naive. I didn’t have a
full understanding that there are
people struggling with different
things on a daily basis. It was very
impactful, very moving.”
Sanneh connected Larson
with former Olympian Jackie
Joyner-Kersee and Larson vis-
ited her foundation in East St.
Louis. He got on the phone with
Max Siegel, the CEO of USA
Track & Field who also runs a
NASCAR-sanctioned team that is
part of the stock car series’ diver-
sity program. Larson, who is half
Japanese, came through that very
program on his way to NASCAR.
Larson also continued work
with the Urban Youth Racing
School in Philadelphia. The non-
profit helps minorities advance
in motorsports and Jysir Fisher,
one of its students, had celebrat-
ed with Larson in victory lane
following a win in Delaware last
October.
Fisher was deeply disappoint-
ed by Larson’s use of the N-word
and discussed it with founder An-
thony Martin. The two also talk-
ed when Larson said he wanted
to visit the school.
“Kyle made it his business
to come here to this school and
apologize. He didn’t want to do
it by telephone. He wanted to do
it face-to-face,” Martin told AP.
“That had a strong effect on Jy-
sir. His favorite driver is still Kyle
Larson.”
Larson has also hired a per-
sonal diversity coach from The
Kaleidoscope Group, which spe-
cializes in diversity and inclusion
consulting.
Martin understands celebri-
ties often go through the motions
to repair their image after a fall.
He insists that’s not what Larson
has been doing.
“Kids make mistake,” Martin
said. “Do I think that Kyle was
ever a racist? Absolutely not.”
Larson said he isn’t doing
what he’s doing in a bid to get
his job back. Larson, whose ma-
ternal grandparents spent time
in a Japanese internment camp
during World War II, is adamant
he wants to educate himself.
“I just felt like there was more
that I needed to do — and I
wanted to show through ac-
tions that I am a better person
than I was before,” Larson said.
Larson has spent his time
in NASCAR exile back at the
starting point of his career, rac-
ing sprint cars across the coun-
try and piling up 31 wins.; this
weekend, he will be at the Indy
Mile Race at the Fairgrounds at
nearly the same time the Indi-
anapolis 500 is running across
town.
Larson still hopes to get
back to NASCAR. He doesn’t
know if a team or sponsors will
be willing to give him a second
chance. He has met NASCAR’s
requirements for reinstate-
ment. He said Wednesday he
has not yet requested reinstate-
ment.
“I made a mistake and I’m
paying for it and I accept that,”
Larson said. “I’d like to get back
there and we’ll see if there’s a
way. All I can do is continue to
improve myself and let my ac-
tions show who I truly am.”

Vols
Continued from Page 1B
Academy football: The
man’s going to rise up,”
Nicholson said. “You just
wonder sometimes who
it’s going to be. Some-
times you already know,
and sometimes you’re
surprised, but there’s
always another one who
steps up.”
Nicholson said that
player will almost surely
come from a 10-player
senior crop or from an
even bigger group of ju-
niors, but he offered no
more specifics on who
the Vols’ next star will
be.
“I have my theo-
ries, but those theories
stay with me,” he said.
“They’re just that: theo-
ries.”
He got to test them for
the first time this season
in Friday’s two-quarter
jamboree game at Win-
ston Academy, which
the Vols won 13-7. Car-
ter said the team’s pass
defense was already
stout, only allowing a
handful of completions.
Starkville Academy’s
run defense was lacking,
but Carter said that will
come in time.
On offense, the Vols
return junior quarter-
back Randall Futral, who
offers starting experi-
ence at a premium posi-
tion, and three starting
offensive linemen. Run-
ning back CJ Jackson,
always capable of tak-
ing over a game on the
ground, returns for his
senior season.
“I’m feeling pretty
good about the team and
everything,” Jackson
said.
Jackson said the Vols,
who began preseason
camp July 27, have start-
ed kind of slow out of
COVID-19 precaution,
but they’re ramping up
ahead of Friday’s first
game. They’ll face La-
mar School in a rematch
of a 2019 quarterfinal
contest that Starkville
Academy came back to
win 24-22.
While the Vols host-
ed Lamar in Week 1 of
2019 — a 34-13 loss for
the home team — they’ll
be on the road for the
second straight time
against the Raiders.
“It’s away again, but
we’ve just got to make
big plays,” Jackson said.
Jackson, a transfer
from Noxubee County,
was still in Macon when
Starkville Academy won
the 2017 title, but the
Vols’ other seniors have
that championship expe-
rience under their belt,
Nicholson said.
They’ve also lost in
the second round of the
playoffs (Adams County
Christian in 2018) and
lost in the state title (ri-
val Heritage Academy
last fall).
“They’ve experienced
every one of those, and
I believe I know which
one they would want to
taste again,” Nicholson
said.
Jackson expressed
confidence that the Vols
don’t simply hope to do
just that — they’re fully
capable of it.
“We’re going to go
back to the state cham-
pionship and win it, too,”
he said.

MSU
Continued from Page 1B
in emphasizing decision-making to un-
derclassmen.
“We’re trying to have a football sea-
son and I’m not trying to jeopardize that
myself,” Thompson said.
“We’ve been emphasizing being safe,
staying smart when you’re away from
here,” he added later. “Every day we’re
talking to each other about being safe
and watching who you’re surrounding
yourself with, washing your hands and
just taking all the necessary steps to be
smart.”
Throughout the summer, MSU has
kept any outbreaks or COVID-19 con-
cerns relatively private in regard to the
football program. But with images sur-
facing around college campuses, such as
one captured this week with numerous
Alabama undergrads throughout the bar
district in Tuscaloosa that circulated on
social media in recent days, the disre-
gard for social distancing has drawn the
ire of prominent figures throughout the
SEC — including Alabama head coach
Nick Saban.
“I think democracy is great and I
think people that have all these free-
doms, I think that’s all great,” Saban said
in his Monday press conference. “But I
think there’s one thing that is probably
a common denominator and that’s that
people have great moral integrity in the
decisions they make. I’m not criticiz-
ing here but a lot of people have asked
that we wear masks when we’re in pub-
lic, when we’re in crowds, when we’re
in large groups of people, that we keep
social distance and I don’t think they’re
doing that just for the heck of it.”
Locally, a COVID-19 outbreak at Mis-
sissippi University for Women was linked
to the Cotton District just off MSU’s cam-
pus according to State Health Officer
Thomas Dobbs. And while students are
continuing in compromising behavior
nationwide, those spending their days
at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex this
fall see the situation in simple terms.
“In general, big picture, it’s definite-
ly tougher,” Williams said of maintain-
ing distance from normal college life.
“You’ve got to make some more con-
scious decisions not to put yourself in
crowded areas or whatever it may be.
It’s different, but it’s a sacrifice. I mean,
what do you want to do? Do you want to
play ball or go do those other things? It’s
not really much of a decision for me.”

West Point
Continued from Page 1B

this season we have to be diligent.”
Practice will also have a different
look, as Chambless said there will be far
less contact in practices in preparation
for West Point’s scheduled season open-
er against Starkville Sept. 4.
“It has to (have less contact). Any
coach that tells you otherwise is lying to
you,” Chambless said. Practices are go-
ing to have to be scheduled in ways that
will put contact at minimum even though
you have to get ready to play. You try and
take care of yourself and your kids.”
On offense, four-year standout quar-
terback Brandon Harris has graduated,
and will be replaced by Corbin Kelley.
Kelley played in several games last sea-
son and is expected to lead the West
Point offense.
“He’s taking the reins now and has
run with it,” Chambless said.
Chambless said Jakobe Pate and
Cameron Young will likely split carries
at running back, while Jamar Davis and
Jaekwon Bradshaw have provided steady
leadership on the offensive line.
Defensively, West Point will be an-
chored up front by Jequarius Thomas
and Dahmarion Williams, while Jykeon
Cunningham will lead the linebacker
corps. With less contact reps coming for
West Point this year, Chambless said the
discipline on defense will be key.
“As long as we stay sound and play
fundamental technique football, we’ll
be fine,” he said. “We need to make the
right reads, run downhill and make tack-
les and just do the little things it takes to
win football games.”
If West Point is fortunate enough to
complete its season and capture its fifth
straight championship, Chambless said
there’d be a sense of attainment that’s
almost unexplainable.
“I think it would be really satisfying,”
he said. “You talk about being able to do
something like that, not only having to
go through what we’re going through
but doing that for our community would
be special. One thing we preach to our
guys here is we’re not going to be selfish.
We’re doing this because it lifts our com-
munity up and gives our school pride.
That’s the reason we come to work ev-
eryday and work hard is to give our town
and county something to be proud of. In
the past we’ve been able to get the job
done, our guys have worked so hard that
just being able to get on the field this
year would be a big positive for us.”

Tiger Woods now hopeful of having a busy golf schedule
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NORTON, Mass. — Ti-
ger Woods has been care-
ful to manage his schedule
to avoid playing too much
as he tends to a lower back
that has gone through four
surgeries.
Now the idea is to play
as much as he can.
“The plan is to play four
out of five,” Woods said
Wednesday after playing
the back nine at TPC Bos-
ton. “That’s the plan.”
It’s an ambitious plan for
a 44-year-old who tries to
avoid playing consecutive
weeks, much less the three
in a row that might be re-
quired for him to reach the
Tour Championship for the
first time since he won at
East Lake in 2018. That’s
also the last time Woods
Comics & Puzzles
DILBERT
ZITS
GARFIELD
CANDORVILLE
BABY BLUES
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
played three weeks in a
row.
The road begins Thurs-
day with The Northern
Trust, the first of three
playoff events that culmi-
nate in Atlanta with the
Tour Championship and
the $15 million prize to the
FedEx Cup champion.
Justin Thomas is the No.
1 seed — the eighth player
in eight years to have the
top seed starting the post-
season — and played the
nine-hole practice round
with Woods, Ryan Palmer
and Harold Varner III.
Woods wasn’t sure
where he stood in the Fe-
dEx Cup. He thought it
was No. 28, his position
when golf shut down on
March 15 because of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Hav-
ing played only twice since
FAMILY CIRCUS
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
golf returned in June, he
has fallen to No. 49.
Only the top 70 after
this week advance to the
BMW Championship at
Olympia Fields south of
Chicago, and from there
the top 30 go to East Lake
in Atlanta for the Tour
Championship.
That Woods is even as
high as No. 49 is remark-
able considering he has
played only five times this
season. That includes the
ZoZo Championship in
Japan last October, when
Woods won for his re-
cord-tying 82nd career
victory.
There also was a tie for
ninth at Torrey Pines, dead
last at Riviera and then
no golf for three months.
Because the tour lost 13
weeks from its schedule
due to the pandemic, Fe-
dEx Cup points for the
playoff events are only
triple in value instead of
being worth four times as
much. That will reduce
some of the volatility.
A victory or runner-up
finish at the TPC Boston,
where Woods won in 2006,
would lock up a spot in
Atlanta and might afford
him the chance to take off
next week. Considering he
hasn’t seriously contended
since Japan last fall, odds
are he’ll have to play three
in a row to reach Atlanta.
“That’s the way it’s go-
ing to work out,” Woods
said.
And then he would have
one week to exhale be-
fore the U.S. Open, one of
the most grueling weeks
in golf at a Winged Foot
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY: I
desperately
need to
learn how to cope
with caring for my
mother, who is
living with me. We
get along most
days, however she
is very much a
“Negative Nancy”
on all topics, es-
pecially my life.
I have been
divorced for more
than 10 years, but
she digs about
my ex and his
Dear Abby
new wife as often
as possible. I have asked her
repeatedly to stop, but she flat-
out refuses because “he left
me in financial ruin.”
Yes, my ex is more finan-
cially stable today than when
we were married, but I am
neither desolate nor destitute.
She makes me feel like no
matter what I do for her it’s not
enough, and before you suggest
it, our only option is to live
together. Please help salvage
my emotional state. ­— CHAL-
LENGED IN TEXAS
DEAR CHALLENGED: For
the sake of your sanity, you will
have to learn to change the way
you react to Mommy Dearest,
who can’t let go of her grudge
or resist stirring the pot. Do
you think she does it because
she enjoys needling you? Is she
bored and has nothing better to
talk about?
Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug.
20). You measure your own hap-
piness and success with new
metrics this year, ones that are
more personally satisfying and
relevant to your soul. Between
this and the excellent relation-
ships you nurture, the solar jour-
ney takes you from adventure
to adventure, revealing along
the way your most effective self.
Aries and Gemini adore you.
Your lucky numbers are: 30, 22,
1, 7 and 45.
ARIES (March 21-April 19).
Smart people won’t have time
to prove they are smart today
because they will be too busy
chasing their curiosity around.
You can relate. Your interests
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020
course that Woods played
Monday. The U.S. Open
was rescheduled because
of the pandemic.
“We’re all getting used
to the schedule,” Woods
said. “This is weird for ev-
ery one of us.”
That includes Thom-
as, who joined Woods at
Winged Foot on Monday.
He spoke of crossing the
virtual finish line at East
Lake and going on a vaca-
tion to decompress. That’s
in a normal year. Now,
there’s no stopping.
“That Masters in No-
vember is sort of the end of
the season,” McIlroy said.
“But look, it’s a different
year. I think we’re all just
glad that the tournaments
are being played and that
we’re getting them in,
that there’s going to be
When she
makes nega-
tive comments
about your ex,
don’t take the
bait. Ignore her,
leave the room
or counter by
saying something
positive about
him. (I hope you
can come up with
some good ma-
terial.) And when
she complains
that you don’t do
enough for her,
start doing less,
which may make
you feel less taken for granted.
Understand that you may
never please her, and when the
quarantine ends, encourage
her to spend time at a senior
center, volunteering “to help
others less fortunate,” or some
other activity that will get her
out of your house. You should
also spend less time with her
when you need to.
DEAR ABBY: My late hus-
band and I had a dysfunctional
marriage. He died in a car acci-
dent in 1995 at the age of 49. I
was 44 then.
I did my best to shield my
then-teenage daughter, “Wen-
dy,” from his opiate addiction,
suicide attempts, physical
abuse and the constant flux of
income because we were on
and off welfare. On the flip side
of his character, he was funny,
super smart, helped anyone
will lead you to like minds.
TAURUS (April 20-May
20). The novice is proud of and
wants full recognition for talents
and skills. The wise would
rather go unlauded, realizing
the strategic advantage in being
underestimated.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
Human memory is flawed.
Even the best memories are
unreliable and susceptible to
corrosion over time. Record
things as you go. This is the
most dependable way, and you’ll
be glad you did.
CANCER (June 22-July
22). You thought a thing ran its
course. You thought you were
done and wouldn’t return to it,
3B
a champion. Someone’s
got to win them. Doesn’t
matter if it’s in April or
November. The fact that
we have an opportunity
is the most important
thing.”
McIlroy and Woods
are the only players to
have won the FedEx Cup
twice — Woods in 2007
and 2009 as the No. 1
seed, McIlroy in 2016 and
last year when he rallied
to beat Brooks Koepka on
the final day at East Lake.
Koepka won’t have a
chance to return. His sea-
son has been interrupt-
ed by a knee injury and
COVID-19, and at No. 97
in the FedEx Cup, he end-
ed his season Wednesday
by withdrawing with nag-
ging knee and hip inju-
ries.
who needed help and was loved
by everyone.
Little did I know, my hus-
band had been confiding all of
my perceived faults with Wendy
over the years. Twenty-five years
have passed, and she still has
residual anger toward me for
things I never did back then. It
spills out when she judges me
or accuses me about issues
that happen between us today.
Her father was abusive and
neglectful of her, too, but she
doesn’t remember it. In her
eyes, I was the bad guy in the
marriage and he was the good
guy and her hero forever.
I don’t know how to heal the
ugliness between us. I don’t
think it’s productive at this
point to tell her how bad her
father treated me back then.
I continue to love her uncon-
ditionally, but it still doesn’t
overcome her underlying pain
and anger. Was I wrong for hid-
ing everything from her? It’s not
fair being thought of unjustly.
What else can I do? — FAILING
IN FLORIDA
DEAR FAILING: By protecting
your daughter from the truth all
these years, you have contrib-
uted to the situation you find
yourself in. Tell your daughter
it’s important the two of you
get some issues out in the
open, and if she agrees, make
an appointment for you both
with a licensed mental health
professional who can facilitate
and mediate the long-overdue
discussion.
but this business is, appar-
ently, unfinished. Otherwise, it
wouldn’t keep calling you back.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22).
Today, you’ll tidy up a mess in
your personal life. Don’t have a
messy personal life? Consider
adding more love to it. Love is,
essentially, messy. All the best
things in life are.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
Modern society’s overemphasis
on identity is as common as
it is problematic. It’s useful to
know what you want and what
you like, but that shouldn’t be
confused with who you are.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
It’s hard to notice any particular
thing in a cluttered environment.
But whatever you drop into
a blank space will get all the
attention. This is why you clear
your mind before concentrating
on what you love.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov.
21). You’re not sure what you
owe those around you. You’re
not sure where you end and
they begin. That you are willing
to delve into such maddening
questions is evidence of your
evolved soul. None of us stand
alone.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). You care deeply about an
idea and will work to bring it into
the real world. Because you can-
not give this same treatment to
every idea, you’ll also be letting
go of ideas you don’t think are
very actionable.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). It’s a day to celebrate.
Celebrate small and privately,
celebrate on-blast, celebrate
for obvious reasons and for no
reason at all. What’s celebrated
will grow.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). “Tell me something good,”
sang Rufus, and Chaka Khan
followed up with what has got to
be top-of-list for most people,
which is to say: “Tell me that
you love me.” Don’t hold out
with your heart. Express.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). You’ll have strong feelings.
Don’t try and stop them; rather,
you’ll do well to direct them, for
instance into work, sports or
creative expression. Even anger
can be made into something
beautiful, powerful and rousing.
By and large
SOLUTION:
4B THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Business IRBY WINS STATE AWARD

Courtesy photo/
Columbus Main Street
ABOVE: Picture on the
left: Kevin Stafford, past
president of Mississippi
Main Street Associa-
tion, presents the Paul
Coggin Trailblazer Award
to George Irby during the
Main Street Columbus
awards luncheon on
Wednesday.
LEFT: Picture on the
right: Chris Chain is
pictured with George Irby
after Irby was presented
the Paul Coggin Trailblaz-
er Award on Wednesday.
Irby is the third Colum-
bus recipient of this
state award, given to an
outstanding local board
member or volunteer
who has been active in
a downtown organization
for a significant period
of time, and who has
contributed energy and
dedication to downtown
revitalization. Chain and
Sam Kaye have also
received this prestigious
award in the past.

Global shares retreat after Fed

minutes bring reality check
AP BUSINESS WRITER “In no uncertain terms, U.S., as well as China, with
the FOMC minutes deflat- production halted, tourism
TOKYO — Global ed the markets’ Federal squelched and consump-
stock markets fell Thurs- Reserve air balloon,” said tion crimped. Analysts say
day after minutes to the Stephen Innes, chief glob- a recovery is likely coming
last meeting of the U.S. al market strategist at Ax- for the world’s third-larg-
Federal Reserve laid out iCorp. est economy, but also ac-
the challenges facing the Japan’s benchmark Nik- knowledge great uncer-
economy during the coro- kei 225 dropped 1.0% to tainty without a vaccine for
navirus pandemic. finish at 22,880.62. South COVID-19.
U.S. shares were set to Korea’s Kospi plunged Investors around the
add to the previous day’s 3.7% to 2,274.22. Austra- world are also waiting for
losses, with futures for the lia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.8% developments on the ris-
Dow and S&P 500 both to 6,120.00. Hong Kong’s ing tensions between the
down 0.3% ahead of the Hang Seng lost 1.5% to United States and China.
open. 2,274.22, while the Shang- The world’s largest econ-
In Europe, France’s hai Composite fell 1.3% at omies have longstanding
CAC 40 fell 1.2% to 4,919, 3,363.90. trade issues, and President
while Germany’s DAX The Asian region de- Donald Trump has recent-
dropped 1.1% to 12,837. pends heavily on a healthy ly been targeting Chinese
Britain’s FTSE 100 was U.S. economy to keep its tech companies. Also
down 1.2% at 6,036. growth going. Export-de- hanging over the market
“The latest Fed minutes pendent Japan has sunk is the upcoming U.S. elec-
had been one to offer a into recession, slammed tion, with potential big
reality check for markets, by the slowdowns in the changes in policies.
though with the elevated
prices, it had likely been
an excuse to take some
profit off the table as well,”
said Jingyi Pan, a market
strategist with IG.
“Most notably, Fed min-
utes from the July FOMC
meeting had reflected of-
ficials’ views on the pan-
demic weighing heavily on
the economy and posing
risks to the medium-term
outlook,” she said.
The central bank has
been one of the main pil-
lars propping up the mar-
ket after it slashed short-
term interest rates to their
record low and essentially
promised to buy as many
bonds as it takes to keep
markets running smooth-
ly.
The Fed’s minutes of
its latest policy meeting,
released late Wednesday,
showed policy makers are
finding it difficult to fore-
cast the path of the econ-
omy, which will depend
greatly on what happens
with the virus.
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 5B
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, AUGUST 20, 2020 n 6B

Apts For Rent: West Apts For Rent: Other Burial Plots

LEGALS Real Estate

VIP COLEMAN
Burial Plots For Sale 3
Burial Plots for Sale −

Rentals
RENTALS Friendship Cemetery
Call us: 662-328-2424 TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS
Ads starting at $25 $600.00 662−352−4723

Booze Legal Notices Apartments & Houses 1 BEDROOM Commercial Property For Sale Furniture
2 BEDROOMS
I, the officer of Laxmi 1 Bedrooms 3 BEDROOMS
MILITARY QUICK STOP for
lease or sale. High traffic
Sectional Sofa Four year
Ma Inc. intend to 2 Bedroooms count. Busy location.
old sectional sofa brown/
beige speckled fabric.
make application for
3 Bedrooms LEASE,

a package retailer
permit.
As provided for by the
Local Option Alcohol-
ic Beverage Control
Laws, Section 67-1-1,
et seq., of the Missis-
sippi Code of 1972,
© The Dispatch
Possibly some owner Good condition. Has two
DEPOSIT financing. B.F. at 662−329 holes on the side that need
−3833 or 662−889−0837.
Furnished & Unfurnished AND repairing. $300.00 662−
574−9397
1, 2, & 3 Baths CREDIT CHECK Houses For Sale: Other
Lease, Deposit
662-329-2323 House & 5 wooded acres in
& Credit Check
Vehicles
Vernon, AL. Inside city
limits, but with the privacy
viceinvestments.com 2411 HWY 45 N of living in the country.
327-8555 COLUMBUS, MS
Turner Hill Subdivision. Fish
pond, block shop bldg, Ads starting at $12
Sudoku YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
storage bldg & large storm

Annotated. If granted
such permit I pro-
pose to operate as a
Sudoku
Houses For Rent: Other
Apts For Rent: Other shelter. 2,100 sqft. Older
home, quality construction,
Motorcycles & ATVs Sudoku is a number- Yesterday’s answer
3BR/2.5BA, CUSTOM− 1956, can easily be up− placing puzzle based on
BUILT−HOUSE ON 40
2005 HONDA 250 REBEL
Sudoku
a 9x9 gridis witha several
num- 6 5 4 9 1 8 3 2 7
dated. See North MS MOTORCYCLE.
ACRES. 10 minutes from Craigslist, real estate, for ber-placing
given numbers.puzzleThe object 9 1 7 2 3 5 4 8 6

2020 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Black, red, and gray.
corporation under the CAFB, 5 minutes from West photos. No texts please! based onthe a 9x9
1,428 miles. $1500. is to place numbers 2 3 8 4 6 7 1 9 5
trade name of Colum- Point. Very private. CH/A.
grid
1 to 9with
in theseveral
Call for appointment to 662−364−0120.
Fenced backyard. Ceramic see. $139,000. empty spaces 4 6 5 1 7 2 8 3 9
bus Discount Wine given
tile throughout. Pets 205−695−2146 so thatnumbers.
each row, eachThe 1 8 9 3 4 6 5 7 2
and Liquor, located at object
column and each 3x3 the
is to place
negotiable. No HUD. Trucks, Vans & Buses
box 7 2 3 8 5 9 6 4 1
323 Idlewild Road, $1,200/mo + $1,200 dep. Lots & Acreage numbers
contains the1same to 9 number
in
Columbus, MS
864−634−4192
the empty spaces so 8 7 6 5 2 4 9 1 3
1.75 ACRE LOTS. Good/ only once. The difficulty 5 4 1 7 9 3 2 6 8
39702. Bad Credit Options. Good that each row, each
NEAR CAFB: 3BR/2BA @ level increases from
525 Co−Op Rd, Columbus. credit as low as 20% down, column and each 3 9 2 6 8 1 7 5 4
1600sqft, quiet area, $499/mo. Eaton Land, Monday
3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday. Difficulty Level 8/19

The name, title, and Columbus City Schools.

address of the corpor- ALL appliances, washer/
662−361−7711. the same number only once. The difficulty level
dryer, pool table, & dining increases from Monday to Sunday.
ate officer and/or ma- room furn incl. Large
LOWNDES COUNTY, MS:
jority stockholder of 36 ACRES ON GATLIN RD.
private lot close to golf Excellent timber & building Exceptional one−owner
the above named course. $850/mo + dep. sites. $72,000. For more maintained Ram 3500
662−574−1711.
business are: info, call 205−799−9846 w/5.9L Cummins
Mobile Homes for Rent or 205−695−2248. engine, automatic
transmission & spray−
Naimesh Patel 3BR/2BA Trailer, New in Bedliner. Truck has
President
605 Leigh Drive, APT
It’s a classified
Hope school dist. $650/
mo & $650 dep. No pets,
no drugs, no partying. Call
Merchandise 203,000+ miles, but
runs like new and looks
great! $12,000.
L107 b/w 10a−9p. 662−386− 662−574−4640
Columbus, MS rule-of-thumb: 4292. NO TEXT MGS. Ads starting at $12
39705
We tell readers Rooms For Rent Appliances

what they need Did you

If any person wishes
to request a hearing
to object to the issu-
ance of this permit a
request for a hearing
must be made in writ-
ing and received by
the Department of
Revenue within (15)
fifteen days from the
to know to buy
what they need.
$400/mo. 662−295−4701
Looking for goods
?
ROOM FOR RENT, WASHER & DRYER, solid
know
FULLY FURNISHED wood bookcase, solid wood
IN WEST POINT. end tables, dinette tables,
Includes appliances, chairs & butcher block
furniture & utilities.
table. Call 662−328−6224
between 9−5.
In 2015 The Dispatch
won the Daniel E.
Phillips Freedom of

or services?
first date this notice Information Award
was published.
for our investigative
Requests shall be journalism.
sent to:

Chief Counsel, Legal Five Questions:

Division
Department of Reven-
ue 1 Count
P.O. Box 22828 Ferdinand
Jackson, MS 39225
von Zeppelin
Date of First Publica-
tion: 8/19/2020 2 “My Fair
PUBLISH: 8/19 &
Lady”
8/20/2020
3 First electric
ACROSS
1 Rube
traffic light 5 Climb
Employment
Call us: 662-328-2424
Find it in classifieds 4 Stroke
11 Aspirin’s
target
12 Ford follower
662-328-2424 ads.cdispatch.com 13 Free of fat
General Help Wanted
5 Miso 14 Puts in office
15 Tobago’s
NOWETA'S Flower Shop is

Service Directory
accepting applications for island neighbor
an experienced Floral 17 Game caller
Designer. EXPERIENCE 18 Chopped up
REQUIRED. Apply Mon-Fri, 22 Relates
2-4pm or Sat 9am-12pm
at 1325 Main Street. 24 Fancy wrap
No phone calls please. 25 “Exodus”
Promote your small business starting at only $25 character
Restaurant / Hotel
Building & Remodeling General Services General Services Painting & Papering 26 Purpose
CAFE UNIQUE: Part-time
27 Biathlon need DOWN 22 Poi source
Prep cook and dish washer
DUMP TRUCK HAULING. QUALITY PAINTING. 30 Striped cat 1 Sentry’s cry 23 Rock’s
Slag − $400 Ext/Int Painting.
wanted. 15-20 hours per Clay Gravel − $250 Sheet Rock Hang, Finish & 32 Santa’s 2 Bakery worker Clapton
week. Apply in person @ 94 reindeer, e.g.
Airline Rd. or call 662-327-
Available for hauling any Repair. Pressure Washing. 3 Ski resort sight 28 Caron of
materials. Columbus. Call Free Estimates. Ask for 33 Furniture
0840 or 662-386-1554 for Walter, 662−251−8664. specials! Larry Webber, 4 Pound’s cousin “Gigi”
more information. Leave 662−242−4932. wood 5 Served per- 29 Fuel gas
message if no answer. 34 Scapula’s fectly 30 Letter after
WORK WANTED: Licensed
& Bonded. Carpentry, minor SULLIVAN’S PAINT place 6 Leafy lunches sigma
Transportation MAINTENANCE PROS 38 Romantic
Specializing in:
electrical, minor plumbing, SERVICE 7 College unit 31 Keys
Special Prices.
PART TIME Shuttle Bus Residential Carpentry,
insulation, painting, demo−
Interior & Exterior Painting. song 8 Catchall abbr. 35 Lofty poems
lition, gutters cleaned,
Drivers needed for Stark- Electrical, Painting, pressure washing, land− 662−435−6528 41 Lake near 9 Catch 36 Cork’s
ville area. CDL with pas- Appliance Repair & Minor scaping, cleanup work. Buffalo 10 Hosp. work- country
senger endorsement req. Plumbing. Free estimate. Tree Services
Call 662−570−5570.
662−242−3608. 42 Galahad’s ers 37 Oboe need
Contact Cory 314-422-
2020, ggaoil@yahoo.com J&A TREE REMOVAL mother 16 Conditions 38 Stake
Carpet & Flooring
HILL’S PRESSURE Work from a bucket truck. 43 Ripped 19 Soothing 39 Pub product
WASHING. Commercial/ Lawn Care / Landscaping
Residential. House,
Insured/bonded. 44 Conical lozenge 40 Racing circuit
Call Jimmy Prescott for free
abodes 20 Otherwise
Rentals
concrete, sidewalks & JESSE & BEVERLY’S estimate, 662−386−6286.
mobile washing. Free est. LAWN SERVICE 45 Went fast 21 Some bucks
662−386−8925. Mowing, cleanup,
landscaping, sodding,
Ads starting at $25 & tree cutting.
662−356−6525
Apts For Rent: North Got leaky pipes? SAM’S LAWN SERVICE
Find a plumber in the No lawn too large or too
FOX RUN APARTMENTS 1 classifieds. small. Mowing, trimming &
& 2 BR near hospital. DAVID’S CARPET &
weedeating. Are you a painter?
$595−$645 monthly. UPHOLSTERY Advertise here!
CLEANING Call 662−243−1694
Military discount, pet area,
pet friendly, and furnished 1 Room − $50
2 Rooms − $70 Automotive Services
corporate apts.
24−HOUR PROFESSIONAL 3+ Rooms − $30 EA
GYM. ON SITE SECURITY. Rugs−Must Be Seen
ON SITE MAINTENANCE. Car Upholstery Cleaning
ON SITE MANAGEMENT. Available
24−HOUR CAMERA 662−722−1758
SURVEILLANCE. Benji &
Ashleigh, 662−386−4446.
General Services

A & T TREE SERVICES

Bucket truck & stump
removal. Free est.
Serving Columbus
since 1987. Senior
Have a rental property? citizen disc. Call Alvin @
List it here for fast results. 242−0324/241−4447
"We’ll go out on a limb for
ads.cdispatch.com you!"