Established 1879 | Columbus, Mississippi

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Sunday | August 30, 2020

CMSD bus
drivers who Starkville-based artist infuses years of
walked off job passion into state flag finalist design
Monday face
termination
15 drivers speak out
about job conditions,
ability for district to
safely transport students
without them
BY SLIM SMITH
ssmith@cdispatch.com

Columbus Munic-
ipal School District
intends to fire 21 bus
drivers who walked off
the job Monday over
what the drivers said
was an abrupt reduc-
tion of their hours.
Fifteen of those driv- Dedeaux
ers met with The Dis-
patch on Friday, and each said they Yue Stella Yu/Dispatch Staff
received a call from the district be- Rocky Vaughan, 43, poses for a portrait in his office
tween 10 and 11 p.m. Thursday indi- at DogPound Printing in Starkville. Vaughan’s design
cating they were being recommend- for the new state flag was picked as one of the nine
ed for termination, pending school finalists by the Mississippi State Flag Commission
board approval. Some have received after the state Legislature retired the old flag June 30.
written notice by mail, as well. Commissioners combined elements from his flag with
They expressed frustration to The other designs, which became “The New Magnolia” flag
— one of the two finalists in the last round.
Dispatch with the district’s handling
of the situation, which they say rep- BY YUE STELLA YU don’t want to
resents a safety threat to children syu@cdispatch.com seem like an
who rely on the district’s transporta-

R
advocate for
tion. ocky Vaughan waited at his each side,” he
On Monday, nearly half of CMSD’s wife’s hospital bed for days said. “But I
Courtesy photo/Mississippi Department of Archives and History

drivers refused to run their routes
after they were notified in a meeting
earlier that morning that their pay
and hours had been adjusted without
their prior knowledge — 19 days af-
ter classes began and they had begun
running their routes.
“We’re still upset about our pay
and how we were treated,’’ said Re-
narda Dent, one of the drivers who
met with The Dispatch. “Right now,
our main concern is safety. They don’t
have enough drivers to do the routes
See BUS DRIVERS, 3A
as the couple expected the
birth of their second son, Brody, in
March 2013.
To kill some time, Vaughan
brought his sketchbook. As he
doodled purposelessly, he thought
of the debate he had seen on TV
surrounding the then-Mississip-
pi state flag, which boasted the
Confederate battle emblem in its
canton.
“It’s just an ugly topic. … I
am a designer.
So I can let everybody see, you can
have a pretty flag, you don’t have to
be so upset about (it).”
Intrigued, he began sketching
a magnolia as he waited. That
process, he said, would sometimes
annoy his wife.
“Me sitting in the corner would
get on her nerves, so she sent me
home a few times,” he said with a
chuckle. “Apparently, my sketching
is a little too noisy.”
Since his first try at redesign-
ing the state flag seven years ago,
Vaughan — a 43-year-old Acker-
man native and graphic designer
at DogPound Printing in Starkville
— said he has produced more than
100 different designs. And now,
he is closer than ever to making
history.
See FLAG, 5A

BACK ON THE FIELD 12-year-old stabbed in

on-campus fight between
Columbus Middle students
New Hope class
of 2020 graduate Victim treated at Baptist, released
Caleb Cistrunk,
left, greets his DISPATCH STAFF REPORT
friend, New Hope
football player A 12-year-old student from Columbus Middle
Rashad Williams, School was treated at Baptist Memorial Hospi-
at halftime of tal-Golden Triangle after authorities say he was
the Trojans’
scrimmage stabbed during a fight with another student.
against Caledonia In a Columbus Police Department press release
High School on issued Friday, investigators said two 12-year-old
Friday. The two male students, both seventh graders, got into a
rival schools’ fight just after noon at the middle school, locat-
varsity teams ed just off Highway 373. During the fight, one of
played the first
two quarters, them “stabbed and cut” the other, the press re-
while junior lease said.
varsity played the The suspect is in custody, and his case will be
second half. For turned over to Lowndes County Juvenile Court,
more coverage the press release said. Authorities have not re-
of Friday’s high leased his name because he is a minor.
school football
action, see Columbus Municipal School District Superin-
page 1B. tendent Cherie Labat told The Dispatch the stu-
Antranik Tavitian/Dispatch Staff See STABBING, 5A

WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC

1 What are the names of the three MEETINGS
bullies in the “Simpsons”? Aug. 31: Lowndes
2 Which conspiracy theory alleges County Board of Su-
that something didn’t actually happen pervisors meeting, 9
on July 20, 1969? a.m., Lowndes County
3 How many basic positions of the
feet are there in ballet? Courthouse, facebook.
4 Which NASA probe entered the orbit com/LowndesCounty-
Miriam Edwards
of Jupiter on July 4, 2016, after a five- Mississippi/
Fourth grade, Heritage
year trek? Sept. 1: Columbus

High 89 Low 74
Scattered storms
5 Name three of the four chess
pieces that can move diagonally on
the board.
City Council, 5 p.m.,
Municipal Complex,
facebook.com/Cityof-
Full forecast on Answers, 5B ColumbusMS/
page 3A.
Sept. 8: Lowndes
County Board of Su-
INSIDE pervisors meeting, 9
Classifieds 5B Lifestyles 7A Helen Ponduris is a sophomore a.m., Lowndes County
Comics 7,8B Obituaries 4A at Mississippi State University. She Courthouse, facebook.
Crossword 5B Opinions 6A studies Business Administration and com/LowndesCounty-
141st Year, No. 146 Dear Abby 3B Sports 1B is from South Carolina. Mississippi/

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2A SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

ASK RUFUS

Columbus, 1820
T
wo of the Cotton lation of 107 persons, in-
hun- Gin and 10 cluding 83 free white, 23
dred miles east of slave and one free black.
years ago the Columbus …” The first industry was a
survey of the Here’s a tan yard located on what
division of the timeline of the is now called the Hitching
Mississippi history of Co- Lot. The first cemetery,
Territory into lumbus as we the “Tombigbee Grave-
the states of approach the yard,” was established
Mississippi city’s 201st on the north side of the
and Alabama birthday and present-day city block, on
was underway. the upcoming which Riverview is situat-
It soon ap- bicenten n ia l ed. Under the auspices of
peared the Rufus Ward of Franklin the American Board for
new state line A c ademy, Foreign Missions and the
might place in Mississip- Mississippi’s first and one Presbyterian and Congre-
pi, the existing Marion of the nation’s oldest pub- gationalist Churches, the
County, Alabama, towns lic schools. Mayhew Choctaw Mis-
of Cotton Gin Port (its site n 1816: The Choctaw sion was founded. Mis-
was on the Tombigbee Treaty of 1816 opened to sionaries Thomas Stuart
near present-day Amo- settlement the country and David Humphreys
ry) and Columbus, along east of the Tombigbee reported passing through
with the Marion County River, where Columbus the towns of Columbus
seat that was at the home is now located. That part and Cotton Gin Port while
of Henry Greer (its site is of the country east of the on their way to the Chick-
located on the north side river and just north of Co- asaw Nation in June. By
of the present Columbus lumbus was opened by late in the year, the sur-
Air Force Base). the Chickasaw Treaty of Courtesy photo vey of the state line was
The settlement around 1816. In 1820 Columbus was a small town composed of mostly log and a few frame build- completed.
Greer’s residence would n 1817: Euro-Amer- ings. The population of the town in the census of 1820 was 107.
n 1821: On Jan. 3,
become the first county ican settlers, including at a new residence on the bigbee River. The county kept entertainment” in Mississippi Gov. George
seat of Monroe Coun- Silas McBee, begin drift- Tombigbee River, which seat of Marion County, the house built by Thom- Poindexter announced “a
ty, Mississippi, in 1821 ing into the area. Andrew may have been the Thom- Alabama, moved to the as Thomas. Because of considerable population
and move across the Jackson’s Military Road as house. It was around House of Henry Greer, the “peculiarities” of on the waters of the Tom-
Buttahatchee becoming survey was completed, 1818 that the Cedars was at present day Columbus Roach’s long pointed bigbee formerly attached
the town of Hamilton. and construction began. constructed as a farm- Air Force Base. The first nose, local Indians who to Alabama fall within the
Its reason for being the In the fall, a small log house near a spring on official reference to the traded at Roach’s estab- limits of this state.” That
county seats of first Mar- house was built on what is the Military Road, two “Town of Columbus” was lishment called the town area included both Co-
ion County, Alabama, and now Third Street South, miles north of what was in a Dec. 6, 1819, Alabama “Opossum Town.” Cocke lumbus and Cotton Gin
then Monroe County, probably about where the the original town. legislative act. The first built a large two-story Port. On Feb. 9, Monroe
Mississippi, was that it Columbus-Lowndes Con- n 1819: In June, sev- frame house was built by County, Mississippi, was
log house about where
was between the regions vention and Visitors Bu- eral families arrived at Gideon Lincecum. Mc- created and on Feb. 10 the
the Tennessee Williams
two existing towns of Cot- reau is now located. The Legislature charted the
the site that is now down- Bee was elected Marion house now sits.
ton Gin Port and Colum- earliest written account of
town Columbus and built County’s first representa- n 1820: The Military town of Columbus, Ala-
bus. the founding of Columbus
houses. Silas McBee sug- tive in the Alabama Leg- Road was completed by bama, as the Town of Co-
The confusion over the was by Oscar Keeler in
gested the new town be islature and Cocke’s step- September. The U.S. Post lumbus, Mississippi. The
state line and what state 1848. Keeler said the first
named Columbus. It was son, Bartlett Sims, was Office that was located at legislative act also provid-
Columbus was in is re- house was built by Thom-
mistakenly believed the the first sheriff of Marion John Pitchlynn’s (Plym- ed for the establishment
flected by an article that as Thomas, who had been
new town was in Alabama County. outh Bluff) was discon- of Franklin Academy and
appeared in the Aug. 21, run out of the Chickasaw
as the state line survey n 1819/1820: Ac- tinued and the Columbus a 20-by-30-foot frame
1820, Halcyon of St. Ste- Nation. Another possibili-
had not been made and it cording to Keeler’s 1848 Post Office established. schoolhouse was built.
phens, Alabama: “The ty is that Thomas Cheadle
was thought the state line history of Columbus, Spi- The 1820 Census showed Rufus Ward is a local
line between the state of built the house. He was
would run along the Tom- rus Roach “occupied and Columbus with a popu- historian.
Mississippi and Alabama employed by Chickasaw
has been commenced Agent William Cocke as
under the direction of a carpenter at the agen-
General Coffee and Ma- cy until Sept. 2, 1817. His
jor Freeman — they have leaving the agency hap-
run guide lines from the pens to coincide with the
mouth of Bear Creek on time that the future site of
the Tennessee River, to Columbus was selected as
the northwest corner the Military Road’s Tom-
of Washington County bigbee ferry crossing.
(Alabama) and from the n 1818: Several fam-
latter point to the Gulf of ilies settled in the area
Mexico — and are now now included within the
engaged running and present-day Columbus
cutting out the true line. city limits and built log
We learn that the line will homes. Cotton Gin Port
(place in Mississippi) a (near Amory) became
considerable portion of the county seat of Mari-
the best land in Marion on County, Alabama. By
County (Alabama); it will mid-June of 1818, Cocke
pass about 15 miles east was living with his family

‘A time to pick up:’ Hurricane-

hurt Louisiana begins cleanup
Death toll rose to 16, with more than
half of those killed by carbon monoxide
poisoning from unsafe use of generators
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CAMERON PARISH, La. — Residents in southwest-

ern Louisiana embarked Saturday on the epic task of
clearing away felled trees, ripped-off roofs and downed
power lines after Hurricane Laura tore through parts
of the state.
The U.S. toll from the Category 4 hurricane rose to
16 deaths, with more than half of those killed by car-
bon monoxide poisoning from the unsafe operation of
generators. The latest deaths included an 80-year-old
woman and an 84-year-old man who died from just such
a poisoning.
President Donald Trump toured the damage from
Laura in Louisiana and Texas on Saturday. He and Gov.
John Bel Edwards made their way down a street blocked
by trees and where houses were battered by the storm,
which the governor said was the most powerful hurri-
cane to strike the state. That means it surpassed even
Katrina, which was a Category 3 storm when it hit 15
years ago on Saturday, to the day.
Although the storm was not as bad as once feared,
authorities were still warning it could leave people with
out running water or power for weeks in the stifling late
summer heat. It made roads impassable, tore roofs and
walls off buildings and strew debris about.
It also led to fires at a chlorine plant in Westlake in
the hard-hit Lake Charles area. On Saturday, crews
were battling a new blaze, leading authorities to broad-
en a shelter-in-place order to 1 mile (1.6 kilometers)
around the plant, state Department of Environmental
Quality spokesman Greg Langley said.
It was at least the second fire at the BioLab plant,
which makes swimming pool chemicals, after crews
extinguished one that filled the skyline around Lake
Charles with billowing black smoke after Laura hit.
Authorities believe chemical reactions are causing the
soaked chemicals to overheat and burst into flames.
Langley said he believed the new fire was about 90%
out by Saturday afternoon.
The shelter in place means any residents of the in-
dustrial area around the plant are to stay inside with
windows and doors shut, in summer heat with no elec-
tricity to power air conditioners.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 3A

Unity Park will honor two new civil rights champions in 2021
Committee will start accepting nominations Sept. 1
BY TESS VRBIN
tvrbin@cdispatch.com
Starkville’s Unity Park will
start accepting nominations
Tuesday for individuals who
have worked for civil rights for
the Black community in Oktib-
beha County.
Founded in 2013, the park
is dedicated to recognizing
individuals and events that ad-
vanced civil rights both locally
and nationally. Honorees in-
clude Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr., Dr. Douglas L. Conner, for-
mer Gov. William Winter, Med-
gar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer,
Wilson Ashford Sr., Adelaide
Jeanette Elliott and the Missis-
sippi State University’s “Game
of Change” with Loyola-Chica-
go.
In 2018, the park began
adding plaques annually to
recognize Oktibbeha County
civil rights activists. The 2020
honorees were Dorothy Bishop,
the first female president of the
Oktibbeha County NAACP, and
Carole McReynolds Davis, an
artist and a member of the first
local race relations team in the
1990s. Both died in 2014, when
Bishop was 71 and Davis was
72.
To be honored at Unity Park,
a person must have lived in Ok-
tibbeha County for at least part
of his or her life, been deceased
for at least five years, “advanced
community unity” and “made a
significant contribution to civil
rights in Oktibbeha County,”
according to the park’s website.
The Oktibbeha County
Board of Supervisors will
choose two of the nominees to
be honored in January 2021 on
Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Unity Park is even more
significant to the community
in light of the reignited nation-
al conversation about racial
justice this year, said Jeanne
Marszalek, chair of the Unity
Park Advisory Committee. She
called the park “a symbol of
what can be done” to advance
racial justice locally and nation-
ally.
The park has been the site of
two local protests: one in June
that drew thousands of attend-
ees in response to the death of
George Floyd at the hands of a
white Minneapolis policeman,
and one Friday by roughly 80
Mississippi State University
football players boycotting
practice in response to the
shooting of Jacob Blake, who is
Black, by white police officers
in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
“I think they felt comfortable
there because they looked be-
hind them at the wall of honor
and could see all these people
that worked for the very rights
that we have today, and I think
it inspires people to work for
more rights,” Marszalek said.

AROUND THE STATE

Debate churns over
rebel statue after
board votes to keep it
OXFORD— Refusing
to give up, some north
Mississippi residents are
still urging an all-white
board of county officials
to move a Confederate
monument away from an
old courthouse on the
town square in Oxford.
The Lafayette Coun-
ty Board of Supervisors
voted in July to keep the
rebel soldier statue in
place, with one supervi-
sor saying he had been a
victim of racism because
he’s white and others
saying that African Amer-
ican leaders had never ex-
pressed concerns about
the statue.
A newspaper’s pub-
lic-records request shows
that the Lafayette Coun-
ty supervisors received
messages from business
people, college athletes
and politicians who asked
them to relocate the mon-
ument because it presents
an unwelcoming image in
a diverse community.
The Northeast Mis-
sissippi Daily Journal re-
ceived hundreds of email
and text messages that
were sent to the supervi-
sors about the monument,
which has stood since
1907. Protests against
racial injustice across
the U.S. in the past three
months have brought re-
newed debate about the
display of Confederate
monuments and other
symbols in public spaces.
Former Oxford Mayor
Richard Howorth owns
Square Books, which fac-
es the monument. He tex-
ted several supervisors
and asked them to relo-
cate the monument be-
cause it’s “both the smart
and the right thing” to do.
Howorth later told the
Daily Journal that debate
about the monument has
lasted too long.
“I look at it every single
day,” Howorth said of the
statue. “Every day, I think
it is a sign that we are
disrespecting our Black
fellow citizens, neighbors
and friends. For that rea-
son alone, it needs to be
dealt with.”
Kesha Howell-Atkin-
son, the only Black wom-
an on the Oxford Board
of Aldermen, emailed
several supervisors June
13, saying the statue “is a
negative representation”
of Oxford, and she would
like to see it relocated.
“I believe the stat-
ue also hinders positive
strides our town and
community at large have
made in the area of race
relations,” Howell-At-
kinson wrote. “There
are projects, people and
events coming to Oxford.
We should not allow vis-
itors to be able to judge
us, develop a negative
impression of our com-
munity and convey to oth-
ers a negative impression
about us.”
Another Oxford alder-
man, Janice Antonow, told
supervisors in a mid-July
email that she would give
them “complete support”
if they moved the statue.
The University of Mis-
sissippi is in Oxford and
Lafayette County. In June,
several of the school’s
athletes posted a video on
social media calling for
supervisors to move the
statue. Records also indi-
cate county supervisors
met with football player
Mohamed “MoMo” Sano-
go to discuss the monu-
ment.
SOURCE:
The Associated Press

Bus drivers
Continued from Page 1A
safely. There’s no way
to social distance when
they’re doubling and tri-
pling routes. There’s mold
on the buses. (The buses)
aren’t being sanitized cor-
rectly.
“There are a lot of oth-
er concerns other than
just pay,” she added.
Among the other is-
sues raised by the drivers
is that Transportation Su-
pervisor Willie Stewart,
who informed the drivers
of the changes, did not
answer drivers’ questions,
and their request to speak
to other district officials
was never granted. They
also claim at least one,
and perhaps as many as
four of the drivers who
drove a Monday morning
route but refused to run
their routes in the after-
noon have been allowed to
return to work.
existed before Monday’s
incident.
“When we first started,
they gave us a little bot-
tle of spray,” Dent said.
“I have no clue what it is.
They said it was disinfec-
tant. We started using the
spray, but then mold start-
ed showing up from what-
ever it is we were spray-
ing. Most of us can’t afford
to buy our own cleaning
supplies just for the buses.
It’s a problem.”
Dedeaux said he is un-
aware of any mold issues.
“I’ve heard no reports
of that, but it’s something
we will definitely be look-
ing into,” Dedeaux said.
The drivers said their
decision to refuse to work
Monday afternoon was
not planned, saying they
arrived early at the bus
staging area at Columbus
High School in hopes of
talking to district adminis-
the school’s hybrid sched-
ule, transportation is pro-
vided four days a week
with no in-person classes
on Wednesday.
At that meeting, the
board adopted a flat hour-
ly rate of $12 per hour
based on a schedule that
reduced driver hours from
6 to 4 1/2 hours per day.
“When they called us
in, they promised us six
hours a day, five days a
week,” Dent said. “Then
they turned around and
cut our hours to 4 1/2 and
no pay on Wednesdays.”
Drivers were not in-
formed of the change until
the day of the walk-out.
Fewer routes with few-
er children translates to
the shorter work hours,
the district maintained.
CMSD Board of Trust-
ees president Jason
Spears said, by law, the
and big girl bills. So $600
a month is not going to cut
it.”
The drivers said they
also question why any-
where from one to four
drivers were permitted to
return to work Tuesday af-
ter refusing to drive Mon-
day afternoon.
“I’m doubtful of that,”
Dedeaux said. “If it did
happen, it should not have
happened. I’ll have to talk
to Mr. Stewart about that,
but there’s no reason for
me to believe that hap-
pened.”
Although they have
been notified by phone
that they will be terminat-
ed, the drivers said they
still believe they can re-
tain their jobs. They plan
to take their grievances
to the next school board
meeting.
“I still think we can get

Social distancing,
sanitation issues
Monday afternoon, 21
of the district’s 46 driv-
ers refused to drive their
routes, leaving parents
and the school district
scrambling to arrange for
some students to return
trators who could answer
questions Stewart said he
couldn’t answer.
“We didn’t (go there)
to tell them we weren’t
driving,” Delante Cole-
man said. “We tried to
get something fixed so we
could drive.”
district cannot pay work-
ers for hours they don’t
work.
But drivers question
how the district arrived at
the 4 1/2-hour schedule.
None of the drivers said
they could complete their
routes in that amount of
time.
Log on.
this sorted and we can get
back to work without even
going to the board,” Shel-
ton said.
Asked if there was
some possible resolution
that could be reached that
would return the drivers
to work, Dedeaux de-

home.
Assistant Superinten-
dent Glenn Dedeaux,
Stewart’s supervisor, said
later Monday some of the
remaining 25 drivers ran
double routes. He said the
last of the children were
dropped off at their homes
by 4:30.
Dedeaux said he be-
lieves the district can ad-
equately operate its bus
routes with the remaining
25 drivers.
Friday morning, the 15
drivers who met with The
Dispatch challenged that
assertion.
“There’s no way you’re
going to social distance
when you’re putting two
or three routes together,”
Dent said.
The drivers said that
the average number of
children they had been
transporting ranged from
four to 25, with an average
of 15 children per route.
“That allowed me to
have one child on a seat
and skip rows,” she said.
Driver Matthew Shel-
ton said the drivers’ de-
cision not to drive the
Monday afternoon routes
was an expression of frus-
tration.
“You have 20 to 25 driv-
ers asking you to come
talk to them, and you
don’t think it’s important?
I don’t understand that.
That’s all we wanted to
do: Bring us together, sit
down and talk to us. We’ll
reason it out.”
Dedeaux said he ar-
rived at the staging area
after Stewart called him
saying some drivers
weren’t going to drive
their routes.
“No one ever asked me
for a meeting,” Dedeaux
said.
‘There’s no way we can
drive these routes in 4
1/2 hours’
Until May, CMSD con-
tracted with transporta-
tion company EccoRide
to manage its transporta-
tion system. The district
www.cdispatch.com
“I know with my route clined comment.
“That’s a personnel is-
it takes 5 hours, 15 min-
utes, and that’s if there’s sue,” he said.
no trains to stop for or
hard traffic situations,”
Coleman said. “There’s
no way we can drive these
routes in 4 1/2 hours.”
Shelton said he and his
fellow drivers are being
shortchanged.
“At 4 1/2 hours, we’re
doing work that we’re not
getting paid for,” he said.
“There should be some
kind of law about that,
too.”
Dedeaux pushed back
on the idea that drivers
wouldn’t be paid for the
work they do.
“That’s the biggest
misunderstanding,” ac-
cording to Dedeaux, who
said the 4 1/2 hours was
used as an average to cal-
culate the pay rate.
“Whatever time they
are working, they are get-
ting paid for,” Dedeaux
said.
The drivers have
maintained the new pay SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates

schedule actually pays $9

peak-feeding times for fish and game.
With 24 seats on a stan- opted out of its contract Major
Sun.
10:49p
Mon.
—
dard bus, doubling routes in May after COVID-19 per hour when calculat- Minor 6:52p —
means students are likely had brought a premature ed based on the 30-hour Major
Minor
11:15a
4:32a
12:06p
5:33a
two to a seat with every end to the school year. work week they believed Courtesy of Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

row taken, the drivers CMSD decided to start was promised to them

said.
“I’ll have to defer com-
ment on that until I talk
to the principals and Mr.
Stewart and get an accu-
rate count,” Dedeaux told
The Dispatch on Saturday.
Sanitation also is a con-
cern, one the drivers said
its own transportation de-
partment, hiring former
EccoRide drivers.
On Aug. 20, during a
special-call meeting, the
CMSD Board of Trustees
approved a revised salary
schedule for transporta-
tion employees. Due to
The Dispatch
when they were initially
hired.
“All I know is that it
The Commercial Dispatch (USPS 142-320)
comes out to about $600 Published daily except Saturday. Answers to common questions:
per month for me,” Diana Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
Phone: 662-328-2424
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4A SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Chadwick Boseman, who embodied Black icons, dies of cancer

Actor known for portraying Marvel superhero,
Black Panther, passed away Friday
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES — First Chad-
wick Boseman slipped on the
cleats of Jackie Robinson, then
the Godfather of Soul’s dancing
shoes, portraying both Black
American icons with a searing in-
tensity that commanded respect.
When the former playwright
suited up as Black Panther, he
brought cool intellectual gravitas
to the Marvel superhero whose
“Wakanda forever!” salute rever-
berated worldwide.
As his Hollywood career
boomed, though, Boseman was
privately undergoing “countless
surgeries and chemotherapy” to
battle colon cancer, his family
said in a statement announcing
his death at age 43 on Friday.
He’d been diagnosed at stage 3
in 2016 but never spoke publicly
about it.
The cancer was there when
his character T’Challa visited
the ancestors’ “astral plane” in
poignant scenes from the Os-
car-nominated “Black Panther,”
there when he first became a pro-
ducer on the action thriller “21
Bridges,” and there last summer
when he shot an adaptation of a
play by his hero August Wilson. It
was there when he played a radi-
cal Black leader — seen only in
flashbacks and visions — whose
death is mourned by Vietnam
War comrades-in-arms in Spike
Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods.”
Boseman is survived by his
wife and a parent and had no chil-
dren, Fioravante said.
Born and raised in South
Carolina, where he played Little
League baseball and AAU bas-
ketball, Boseman graduated from
Howard University in Washing-
ton, D.C. He wrote plays, acted
and directed in theater and had
small roles in television before
landing his breakthrough role.
His striking portrayal of the
color-line-demolishing baseball
star Robinson opposite Harrison
Ford in 2013’s “42” drew attention
in Hollywood and made him a
star. A year later, he wowed audi-
ences as Brown in the biopic “Get
On Up.”
Boseman died on a day that
Major League Baseball was cel-
ebrating Jackie Robinson day.
“His transcendent performance
in ‘42’ will stand the test of time
and serve as a powerful vehicle to
tell Jackie’s story to audiences for
generations to come,” the league
wrote in a tweet.

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328-2471.
Willie Monroe
COLUMBUS — Wil-
lie Earl Monroe, 68,
died Aug. 28, 2020, at
his residence.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Bessie Griffin
COLUMBUS — Bes-
sie O’Neal Griffin, 60,
died Aug. 28, 2020, at
AREA OBITUARIES
Brent Atkins, Beau At- are 2 p.m. Tuesday at
kins and Danie Talley. Memorial Gardens of
Memorials may be Columbus. Visitation
made to St. Jude Chil- is Tuesday from 1-1:45
dren’s Research Hospi- p.m. at Memorial Gunt-
tal, 501 St. Jude Place, er Peel Funeral Home
Memphis, TN 38105. & Crematory, Second
Avenue North loca-
Kay Whitaker tion, is entrusted with
HORN LAKE ­— arrangements.
Brenda Kay Robertson Ms. Manning was
Whitaker, 73, died Aug. born April 20, 1941, in
28, 2020, at her resi- Columbus to William C.
dence. Manning and Thelma
Graveside services Carley Manning. She
are 2:30 p.m. Tuesday was a lifelong resident
at Egger Cemetery of Columbus until she
with Dr. Roy McHenry relocated to Flower
officiating. Visitation is Mound. She is a 1959
Tuesday from 1-2 p.m. graduate of S.D. Lee
at Memorial Gunter High School, and
attended Mississippi
Peel Funeral Home &
Crematory, College University for Women.
Street location. Mary Frances was
Mrs. Whitaker was formerly employed at
born March 30, 1947, Seminole/American
in Columbus to the Trouser and was a
late Moloy and Mary lifelong member of The
Wright Robertson. Church of Jesus Christ
She was a graduate of of Latter-Day Saints.
Caledonia High School She is survived by
and Vaughns Beau- her sister, Doris Man-
ty College. Kay was ning Wingo of Flower
formerly employed as Mound; and brother,
John Thomas Manning
a cosmetologist and
as a manger for Zale’s of Norco, California.
Corporation.
In addition to her Don Richardson
parents, she was pre- SNELLVILLE, Ga.
ceded in death by her — Don E. Richardson,
son, Bryan; and sister, 86, died Aug. 28, 2020,
Jeanne. at Eastside Medical
She is survived Center of Snellville.
by her brother, Lu- Arrangements are
ther Robertson; two incomplete and will
grandchildren and one be announced later by
great-granddaughter. Memorial Gunter Peel
Memorials may be
Funeral Home & Cre-
made to the American
matory, College Street
Cancer Society, 1380 location.
Banks Gale Jr. and John Artesia, Willie Brown Gartha Brown, all of
William Gale. of West Point, Johnny Starkville; 13 grandchil-
He is survived by his Brown, Elmer Brown, dren and three great
wife, Mary Ruth Burns Charles Brown and grandchildren.
Gale of Columbus; son,
Todd Gale of Colum-
bus,; and two grand-
children.
Pallbearers will be
Joey Hudnall, Bubba
Tom Wolford, Web
Gholson, John Robert
Gale, Bronson Banks
Gale and Mark Gibson.
Memorials may be
made to St. Jude Chil-
dren’s Research Hospi-
tal, 501 St. Jude Place,
Memphis, TN, 38101.
Freddie Brown
MANSFIELD, Ohio
­ Freddie Brown, 71,
—
died on August 24,
2020 in Mansfield.
Graveside services
are 11 a.m. Monday
at Public Cemetery in
Starkville. Visitation is
today from 2-5 p.m. at
West Memorial Funeral
Home in Starkville.
Mr. Brown is sur-
vived by his wife, Rosie
Brown; son, Jerry Bell
of Memphis, Tennes-
see; daughters, Felicia
Brown and Angel
DeLoach, both of Man-
sfield, and Jamie Brown
of Ontario; sisters, Ber-
tha Spearman, Green
Ella Spencer, Virginia
Colvin and Catherine
King, all of Starkville,
and Olene Brown of
Kankakee, Illinois;
brothers, WT Brown of

Baptist Medical Center
South of Jacksonville,
Florida.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Columbus.
Irene Brown
NOXUBEE COUN-
TY —­ Irene R. Brown,
70, died Aug. 28, 2020.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Macon.
Marvin Atkins
COLUMBUS —
Marvin “Bill” Gay At-
kins, 97, died Aug. 28,
2020, at Trinity Place
Personal Care-Colum-
bus.
Graveside services
are 11 a.m. Monday
at Mt. Carmel Ceme-
tery. Lowndes Funeral
Home in Columbus is
entrusted with arrange-
ments.
Mr. Atkins was born
Sept. 24, 1922, in Ken-
nedy, Alabama, to the
late Tennie Long Atkins
and Marion Atkins.
In addition to his
parents, he was pre-
ceded in death by his
brothers, Lee Ottis
Atkins, Jack Atkins and
Jay Atkins; and sister,
Trannie Atkins.
He is survived by his
wife, Doris E. Gavin
Atkins; sons, Ronnie
Atkins, Gary Atkins
and Steve Atkins,
all of Columbus; six
grandchildren and 11
great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be
Ronnie Atkins, Gary
Atkins, Brad Atkins,
Livingston Lane, Jack-
son, MS, 39213. Bobby Gale
COLUMBUS ­— Rob-
Shirlie Starks ert Wesley “Bobby”
MANTEE — Minis- Gale, 81, died Aug. 29,
ter Shirlie Ann Starks, 2020, at Windsor Place.
60, died Aug. 26, 2020, Graveside services
in West Point. are 10 a.m. Monday at
Graveside services Woodlawn Cemetery
are 1 p.m. today at in Steens with the
Josey Creek Cemetery Revs. Don Both, Steve
in Starkville. Visitation Brown, and Jearl Hun-
was Saturday at West ley officiating. Memori-
Memorial Funeral
al Gunter Peel Funeral
Home in Starkville. Home & Crematory,
Minister Starks Second Avenue North
is survived by her location, is entrusted
sons, Kevin Starks of with arrangements.
West Point and Jared Mr. Gale was born
Starks of Woodland; Oct. 30, 1938, in Desoto
daughter, Leslie Starks County to the late
of Mantee; mother,
Edward Banks and
Sarah Brown of Ma-
Rebecca Graham Gale.
ben; brothers, Clyde
He was a graduate of
Brown, Johnny Brown
Lee High School and a
and Bobby Brown, all
former member of the
of Maben and James
31st Dixie Division Ar-
Brown of Starkville;
tillery of the Mississip-
sisters, Jessie Williams
pi National Guard. He
of Muskegon, Michi-
was formerly employed
gan, and Mary Jones
as a former chief for the
of Starkville; and two
Columbus Fire Depart-
granddaughters.
ment and also served as
a chief for public safety
Mary Manning at the Golden Trian-
FLOWER MOUND, gle Regional Airport.
Texas — Mary Fran- Bobby was a member of
ces Manning, 79, died Mt. Zion Presbyterian
Aug. 28, 2020, at Texas Church.
Health Presbyterian In addition to his
memorialgunterpeel.com
Hospital in Flower parents, he was pre-
Mound. ceded in death by
Graveside services his brothers, Edward
Mary Manning
Visitation:
Tuesday, Sept. 1 • 1-45 PM
2nd Ave N. Location
Graveside Services:
Tuesday, Sept. 1 • 2 PM
Memorial Gardens Cemetery
2nd Ave. N Location
Kay Whitaker
Visitation:
Tuesday, Sept. 1. • 1-2 PM
College St. Location
Services:
Tuesday, Sept. 1 • 2:30 pm
Egger Cemetery
College St. Location
Don Richardson
Incomplete
College St. Location
Bobby Gale
Graveside service:
Monday, Aug. 31 • 10 AM
Woodlawn Cemetery
2nd Ave. N Location
Marjorie Cox
Marjorie Barrett Cox, age 95, died Thursday,
August 27, 2020, at Baptist Memorial Hospital,
Columbus.
A Mass of Resurrection was held Saturday,
August 29, 2020, at 11:00 AM at Annunciation
Catholic Church, with Father Jeffery Waldrep
officiating. Burial followed Saturday at 2:00 PM
at St. Thomas Aquinas Cemetery near Saltillo,
MS with Pastor Gowen Cox officiating.
Mrs. Cox was born on March 25, 1925, in
Fort Pierce, FL, to the late Joseph Cornelius and
Dorothy Barrett. She was a retired cosmetologist
from SuperX Drug Store. Mrs. Cox found great
enjoyment growing flowers and citrus plants
on her patio, but nothing could compare to the
joy she found in family get togethers, especially
at Christmas. She was a Communicant of
Annunciation Catholic Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents;
her loving husband of 70 years, William Chester
Cox; sisters Lucy Greenwood, Agnes Brown and
Dorothy Greenwood; and an infant brother.
Survivors include daughters, Angela Boykin
(Scott), Columbus, MS, Phyllis Taylor, Columbus,
MS and Mary Beth Vickers, Columbus, MS; sons,
William Michael Cox (Brenda), Grenada, MS and
Dennis Cox, Southaven, MS; brother, Joe Barrett,
Saltillo, MS; grandchildren, Karl Frauendienst
(Tara), Amber Stephenson (Christian), Krystal
Frost, Elena Vickers, Kent Frauendienst, Molly
Pratt (Thom Hunter), Gowen Cox (Mallorie),
Jessica Boyd (Russ), Chris Taylor and Emily Hall
(Matt); great-grandchildren, Draven MacDonald,
Lucas Frauendienst, Lydia Frauendienst, Alex
Hall, Evelyn Boyd and Ellen Boyd.
Serving as pallbearers will be Jim Kitchens,
Joe Haftek, Buddy Burks, Chris Taylor, Scott
Boykin and Karl Frauendienst.
Serving as honorary pallbearers will be
Gowen Cox, Kent Frauendienst and Christian
Stephenson.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made
to Friends of Annunciation Catholic Church
building fund, 823 College Street, Columbus, MS
39701.
Sign the online guest book at
www.memorialgunterpeel.com
716 Second Avenue North • Columbus, MS
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 5A

Flag
Continued from Page 1A

Courtesy images/Mississippi Department of Archives and History

“The Great River Flag” design by Micah Whitson is the
other finalist the State Flag Commission is considering
for the November ballot. The commission will decide
between it and “The New Magnolia Flag” this week.
from three different tomers) will have an idea
designers, including but not know what they
Vaughan — is not his want or don’t have a pic-
favorite, he said. The ture. … He goes above
flag features two verti- and beyond everything
cal gold stripes, one on we could dream of.”
each side. The gold lines Welch said she is
symbolize the state’s happy to see Vaughan’s
rich cultural history, ac- work recognized.
cording to the website of “I honestly think they
Mississippi Department couldn’t have chosen a
of Archives and History, more deserving person’s
but Vaughan is not a fan. design,” she said. “It’s
Yue Stella Yu/Dispatch Staff “It didn’t need (the been a long time coming
Rocky Vaughan points at a new rendering of his very first design of the state flag, the sketch of which he stripes),” he said. “Tone for him that somebody
designed in 2013 while waiting at the hospital for his second son, Brody, to be born. Over the past seven years,
Vaughan said he has produced more than 100 versions of the state flag. it down. It’s going to recognizes his talent
look like McDonald’s up other than just us and
Vaughan is a co-de- Commissioners will ness. Grieving, Vaughan wondered: Should the there.” our T-shirt customers.”
signer of “The New meet Sept. 2 to make a missed the deadline. Vaughan agreed he When commissioners
stripes be horizontal
Magnolia Flag” — one final selection, which will “She was really can be a bit of a perfec- make a final selection on
or vertical? How many
of the two finalists that appear on the November sweet,” he said of his tionist. And Stephanie Sept. 2, Vaughan said he
colors should there be? Welch, his coworker and hopes “The New Magno-
could become the state’s ballot. The design will be- mother. How about a seal in the
new flag — after the come the new state flag if friend of more than a lia” prevails.
middle? decade, shared a similar “At least I’m still part
Mississippi Legislature approved by the majority
retired the old one on of voters. Otherwise, the Perfectionist Still, he is hardly sat- view. of it,” he said of the flag
June 30. One of his own commission must recon- But Vaughan knows isfied. “The New Mag- “He’s constantly design. “I don’t trust
designs — featuring a vene and redesign the his mother would be nolia Flag” — which is a amazing with his art anybody else to make it
navy background, red flag for voter approval in proud of his work. As his combination of elements design,” she said. “(Cus- look pretty.”
horizontal banners and a special election in 2021. illustrations advanced
a magnolia surrounded After submissions among a pool of 3,000
by 20 stars (representing opened this summer, submissions, Vaughan
Mississippi becoming the Vaughan submitted four said he was never sur-
20th state) — was one designs. All of them fea- prised by how far his de-
of the nine finalist flags ture a white magnolia in signs would go. Some of
selected by the newly the middle with emerald his competitors, he said,
formed Mississippi State green leaves, the color are “overthinking it.”
Flag Commission. It also of which symbolizes the “It makes sense,” he
includes the words “In state gemstone, he said. said of his own work
God We Trust,” which the He called them “Miss being a top candidate.
Legislature has required Maggie” — “Miss” for “I’m not even trying to
for flag design submis- Mississippi and “Mag- be cocky or overconfi-
sions. gie” as a nickname for dent. … What is the best
The commission magnolia. representation of the
— consisting of nine Vaughan wanted to Magnolia State? Duh.
members appointed by submit four more designs You don’t need research.
Gov. Tate Reeves, Lt. before the deadline. In All you’ve got to do is to
Gov. Delbert Hosemann one of those designs, make it pretty.”
and House Speaker Vaughan colored the en- But Vaughan put a
Philip Gunn — began tire flag emerald green. A great deal of work into
accepting flag designs ring of 82 gold stars sur- his design. He said
from the public in July rounds the flower pedals, he took almost every
with an Aug. 1 deadline. representing 82 counties advice from vexillolo-
Over the past month, the in the state, with an out- gists (those who study
commission narrowed side layer of 20 stars. flags and symbolism) on
down a field of more than But Vaughan never social media and tried
3,000 submissions to two could submit them. His to follow every rule from
finalists — “The Great 66-year-old mother, the State Flag Com-
River Flag” and “The Beverly Vaughan, passed mission to perfect his
New Magnolia Flag.” away on July 31 due to ill- designs. He constantly

Stabbing
Continued from Page 1A
dent had been released from the hospital and confirmed CPD is investigating the
stabbing.
City Public Information Officer Joe Dillon said the student used a knife in the
incident. Labat said students are not allowed to have knives on campus.

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Opinion
6A SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Voice of the people
Responses to Mr. Lollar’s
Friday letter to the editor
First, let me say that the au-
thor of this letter seems to be a
typical Trump supporter. Would
he be so free with his words
if members of his family were
gunned down because of their
race? I was really reluctant to
call this person out for what he
really is. He should walk in the
shoes of those who are prayed
upon. I worked law enforcement
for 10 years so I understand
the mentality of what good and
bad law enforcement officers
are. There is a new breed of law
enforcers wearing the badge
today, shoot first because there
is no fear of accountability. The
majority population has their
backs; the exception is when
the shoe is on the other foot.
If a member of the majority is
killed, then it’s not all right.
Respect is not automatic, it’s
earned. That’s what most offi-
cers fail to understand.
When the author references
racism, he should walk in the
shoes of those affected. He
would not be able to survive a
day. He would probably find the
tallest building and jump from
it. Why the hate? You might
have the best of this world,
but I assure you that it will not
continue into the next. I have
read some of the other rhetoric
spewed by this person, and he
gives me the impression that
he is like the hour glass with no
sand. Ms. Harris would be ok on
the Biden/Harris ticket if she
was of another race? Really? It
does not matter what you say
just stay in the hour glass.
One more point: I served in
the military also and apparently
we did not serve in the same
military. My last station was at
Ft. Benning, Georgia in 1977,
and there was just as much
racism as any place, but maybe
you walked around with your
eyes closed. As a matter of fact,
every place I was stationed was
the same. Vietnam was some-
what different. Don’t think for a
minute racism was not there.
All was one until we left.
Try thinking outside the
hour glass.
Andrew Whitten
Columbus
You would have to be some
kind of naive to think Biden’s
choice for VP is a good one,
states Mr. Lollar.
According to Nielsen, Biden
and the Democrats topped
Trump and the Republicans on
speech ratings every night of
the conventions.
The biggest ratings gap
came on night three, when
Kamala Harris, Biden’s run-
ning mate, drew a 16.2 for her
acceptance speech, compared to
the 10.5 rating Mike Pence drew
for his.
As for the economy, one
would also have to be some kind
of naive to think that Trump,
who has filed for bankruptcy
five times, is responsible for it
before the pandemic hit it.
It was a continuation of the
longest economic expansion in
history that Trump inherited
from Obama-Biden.
Trump’s real test on the econ-
omy is now, with the economic
expansion being broken by the
pandemic.
Will he bring us out of this
hole we’re in now? I, for one,
doubt it.
As for the riots, until Trump
can acknowledge there are prob-
lems on both sides, the riots will
continue.
On one of Armstrong Wil-
liams’ recent articles, he says
Trump was right to pull our
troops out of Syria.
On Tuesday, I read that two
combat vehicles were in a colli-
sion in Syria. One was Russian,
the other one American, in
which four American soldiers
were injured.
So, in my research, I find
there are still half as many
American soldiers in Syria as in
the beginning.
These conservative writ-
ers are like Trump. You can’t
believe anything Trump says,
or any thing the conservative
writers write.
James Hodges
Steens
Concerned with city’s fiscal
leadership
As everyone in the city
should be aware, ex-CFO
Milton Rawle was arrested for
embezzlement from the city
of Columbus. They are saying
they can prove he stole $290,000
from the city but there may be
more. Where is the rest of the
money? We are plagued with a
city council that does not look at
where the money goes, nor do
they seem to care. One of the
councilmen told a friend of mine
that they don’t get the docket of
the bills until Thursday before
the next council meeting. He
said it was a lot to go through
and sometimes he just didn’t
have time. That is what we pay
them for. Try telling your boss
you just didn’t have time to do
your job.
August 2013, COO David
Armstrong told The Dispatch
he was pleased with how Rawle
was able to adjust the projected
budget to keep the city from
operating at a deficit without
a millage increase. “For a guy
to come in certainly who has
a strong financial background
coming from the casino indus-
try, but honest to goodness,
Milton has picked this up. He
hit the ground running. He got
a hold of this. I’m really im-
pressed with what he’s done,”
Armstrong said. I wonder if Mr.
Armstrong is still impressed.
Mayor Robert Smith stated
the checks now have to be
approved by him and cosigned
by Pat Mitchell. Why was this
not done years ago? There is
so much questionable activity
with this Mayor and a few of
his very close friends. Why did
the Mayor buy a new Corvette
out of town which made us lose
the sales tax and then title it in
the county? Probably saved him
around $700 per year of money
that supports the city. Why does
the Mayor and so many of his
associates feel as though they
don’t have to pay their taxes?
Next year it will be time to re-
place our Mayor and city coun-
cil. We have had enough. $42
million of debt and climbing.
This city is in horrible shape.
God Bless America!
Lee Roy Lollar
Columbus

OUR VIEW PARTIAL TO HOME

Roses and thorns And the conversation turns to newspapers

A rose to the Missis-
sippi Supreme Court for
its decision to grant a new
trial to Eddie Lee How-
ard, and to The Innocence
Project attorneys who ef-
fectively argued Howard’s case. Howard,
a Lowndes County native, has been on
death row for 26 years after being con-
victed of murder, a conviction his attor-
neys say was based partly on dubious bite
mark testimony from Dr, Michael West,
one of former District Attorney For-
rest Allgood’s “go to” medical experts.
Similar testimony from West in two other
area murder cases, both prosecuted by
Allgood — Kennedy Brewer and Levon
Brooks — resulted in convictions that
were later overturned by DNA evidence,
calling into question West’s tactics and
the reliability of his testimony. We don’t
offer an opinion on Howard’s guilt or
innocence but what we do know - based
on the Supreme Court’s decision - is that
Howard has yet to receive a fair trial. At
the very least, this ruling will ensure that
fundamental right.
A rose to those who
complied with COVID-19
mandates during Friday’s
Caledonia-New Hope
scrimmage at Caledo-
nia High School. While
mask-wearing and social distancing
guidelines weren’t universally followed,
there were enough fans there who did
comply to be an example to others. As
we prepare for the opening night of
the regular season later this week, it’s
worth reminding fans that the fate of
the upcoming season relies very much
on following these orders. An outbreak
could end the season as soon as it begins,
so if you like high school football, do your
part to keep it going. Our young athletes
make many sacrifices to play. Adults
can certainly make the small sacrifices
required to promote safety that will keep
them playing.
A rose to Ali Pinion,
and all the beekeepers
out there fighting for the
survival of this vital part
of our food supply and
ecosystem. The Starkville
beekeeper not only tends to her own 25
hives, but like so many other beekeepers,
is quick to respond when an unwanted
hive is reported, relocating the bees to
a safe habitat. Several species of bees
are now on the endangered species list,
including the American bumblebee. Glob-
ally, it is estimated that bees pollinate a
third of the food crops we consume. The
bumblebee population in the U.S. has
declined by 90 percent over the past 30
years due to a mix of factors — disease,
pesticide, climate change and habitat
loss. Beekeepers everywhere are doing
their part to sustain these important spe-
cies. We thank them for their important
work.
B
efore coming to with. As for his brother, it He continued: “… the people that
The Dispatch in wasn’t a matter of him be- are doing it … doing the grunt work
the mid-90s, I ing in the wrong place at are there because they believe that
worked as a commercial the wrong time, he said. it’s an important part of this country
photographer. In those “He was right where to have a free press and … to get
days there was a lot of he wanted to be. He was information into the hands of people
manufacturing in the putting out the daily who need it before they go to the
area, and there was prod- newspaper. … He was polls to vote, before they take their
uct photography to be doing exactly what he kids to school … . It’s just the bare
done: fishing lures, toilet loved doing, which was essential of a democracy. So yeah …
seats, gym sets, hams. sitting in the newsroom it is bothersome that we now have,
Occasionally I would with other reporters not just a contempt for the press,
get the odd magazine Birney Imes and editors putting out but … a hatred, and these conspir-
assignment. a daily newspaper for a acy clowns — if they ever saw a
One of the last editorial assign- community that he loved, the people newsroom really work, it would be
ments I took before my career of Annapolis. … he was devoted to amusing to them.”
change was for the Sunday magazine those readers and that community Few who have spent time working
of a British newspaper. They sent me … he wouldn’t have been anywhere in the newsroom of a local newspa-
to south Florida to photograph the else on that day.” per would dispute Hiaasen’s asser-
writer Carl Hiaasen. Hiaasen went on to note the tions. And, while it’s true journalists
Hiaasen was then and still is a persistent reality of an unloved press get their share of knocks, their
columnist for the Miami Herald. He and the role it plays in the workings tenacity occasionally evokes a kind
is the author of more than 20 novels. of our democracy. word or an appreciative email. And,
For the writer of satire, South Flori- “Trump is not the first president as I’m sure it did for Rob Hiaasen,
da, with its violent weather, wealthy to demonize journalists. … There this expression fuels their efforts
retirees, flawed elections, snowbirds, was a guy named Nixon who did a and confirms the importance of their
developers and the inexorable creep lot of that, too. I mean, the press has “grunt work,” as his brother termed
of the tropical environment, is dense never been a beloved institution. And it, to the welfare of their communi-
with material. Hiaasen mines this you don’t go into it as a profession ties.
rich lode to weave tales that are because you want glory or adulation Birney Imes (birney@cdispatch.
comedic and cautionary. or you want people to look up to you com) is the former publisher of The
One aspect of the tropical envi- or love you. Dispatch.
ronment Hiaasen uses to good effect
in his most recent offering is the
escaped Burmese pythons that now
proliferate the Everglades.
Originally brought to South
Florida decades ago as pets, the
snakes are devouring the wildlife of
South Florida and are showing up in
unexpected places.
Recently a woman in south Flor-
ida found a python curled up in the
basket of her washing machine.
According to a July 2019 Smith-
sonian magazine article titled “The
Snakes that Ate Florida,” the reptiles
can grow as large as 20 feet long
and weigh 200 pounds and have
decimated the native raccoon, marsh
rabbit and possum populations. The
pythons eat birds, deer and alligator.
Road kill is now a rare sight in South
Florida.
The python population is estimat-
ed to be from 10,000 to as high as
100,000.
Recently Hiaasen appeared on
NPR’s “Fresh Air” on the occasion
of the publication of his most recent
novel, “Squeeze Me,” which, as the
name suggests, features one of these
reptilian interlopers.
Near the end of the program the
tenor of the interview changed when
the host suggested listeners seek
out the column Hiaasen wrote about
his brother, Rob, who was one of five
journalists killed by a gunman in the
newsroom of the Capital Gazette of
Annapolis, Maryland, in June 2018.
The shooter, said Hiaasen, was Birney Imes for The Telegraph
angry about a long ago story none of Carl Hiaasen poses with his pet corn snakes in his home in south Florida in
his five victims had anything to do this 1995 portrait.
Lifestyles LIFESTYLES EDITOR
Jan Swoope: 328-2471
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020

Pandemic painting

Jan Swoope/Dispatch Staff

When planned travels were canceled due to COVID-19, Ralph Null, pictured Wednesday in his Columbus home studio, took to the canvas as a way to stay oc-
cupied and channel creativity. He has emerged with almost 180 paintings that will be shown at the Columbus Arts Council’s Rosenzweig Arts Center through-
out September. A public reception is 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday. Null will also give “art stroll” talks through the exhibit Sept. 8, 15 and 22 at varying times. For
more information, visit columbus-arts.org or call 662-328-2787.

When there’s ‘nothing else to do,’ express yourself

BY JAN SWOOPE
jswoope@cdispatch.com

I
n March, Ralph Null was making
plans to see more of the world. He is
an avid seasoned traveler. Instead, a
global pandemic sent him only as far as
the small studio at his riverside home in
Columbus. But that was far enough. Far
enough to reignite a genuine enjoyment
of painting, to discover new expression, to
create more than 150 acrylic artworks in a
few focused months.
“I’ve been painting like crazy because
there’s nothing else to do,” said Null,
most well-known as an international-
ly-recognized leader in floral design.
“You’ve got to do something in a pandem-
ic or you really suffer mentally, so my
whole approach has been that this has
been for my own mental health.”
One can only watch so much TV, he
noted.
“And heaven knows social media will
make you want to jump off the Tombigbee
River bridge if you do too much of that
... ” said the Mississippi State University
professor emeritus. Painting became an
immersive opportunity to control a lot of Jan Swoope/Dispatch Staff
unexpected free time. While some recent acrylic paintings by Null are as large as 3-by-4 feet, he has created about 90 “smalls”
“It’s also turned into a real learning during the months of pandemic.
experience as well because I’ve worked
every day at it,” Null explained. “When ■■■
you start a process or method or style
that you aren’t familiar with and you work “The paintings really fall into four
through it, maybe you’re not real happy categories,” said Null. They include the
and you do another one, and maybe on botanicals, impressionistic landscapes,
the third one you get that ‘ah-ha’ moment abstracts and — critters, a comedic series
when you’ve figured out the methodology he’s dubbed Krazy Kats and Damdawgs.
or technique.” “The impressionistic is probably the
Although Null has painted periodically area that I really have stretched myself
for several years, this focused intent was and had the most amount of growth, in
a new and motivating experience. that it’s so important that you learn con-
“I felt every day I was gaining some- trol, when less is more ... ” he observed.
thing out of it,” said the painter. A June visit to the Mississippi Museum
When the Columbus Arts Council of Art in Jackson during the hanging of
learned of Null’s prolific pandemic ther- the current Old Masters exhibit proved
apy in the studio, the gallery committee enlightening. In his lifetime of travel, Null
invited him to share the results with has spent untold hours viewing acclaimed
the public. About 70 hanging works and artworks.
another 90 or so “smalls” will be featured “But I was really looking at them from a
in an exhibition throughout Septem- viewer’s perspective, rather than a doer’s
ber. It opens with a reception Thursday point of view,” he remarked. The day in
from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Rosenzweig Arts Jackson was different. There were very
Center at 501 Main St. Null will present few people about.
an overview of the collection. He will also “I spent most of my time looking at the
later conduct informal “art stroll” talks paintings up close, looking at technique,
that explore specific portions of the show. approach and how things were done,”
On Sept. 8 at 6 p.m., he will talk about Null said. “It was very illuminating versus
Jan Swoope/Dispatch Staff
his botanical paintings. On Sept. 11 at 11 standing 10 feet away in a crowd looking Organization is key in Ralph Null’s compact home studio. The pan-
a.m., focus will be on his impressionistic at the finished product. That was really a demic has meant shortages in art and framing supplies, but an
works. On Sept. 22 at 2 p.m., learn more delightful experience for me.” extensive career in floral design has meant Null is well-equipped
about his landscapes. See NULL, 8A with tools needed to repurpose frames and mount canvas.
8A SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Transitions: Smith’s new novel announced for January release

“Nick” imagines narrator from “The Great Gatsby”
Area Weddings, BY JAN SWOOPE
jswoope@cdispatch.com
“Anybody who
believes that the war
begin to create him in
my mind, and I knew the

Engagements P
is over when the en- only way to get it out was
ub- emy surrenders and to put it on the page. So,
lish- the troops come home I embraced the idea and
ers needs to read Michael dove into it with all those

and Anniversaries
Little,
Brown and
Co. have
announced
Michael
Farris Smith
Smith’s
latest novel, “Nick,”will
be released Jan. 5,
2021. Smith, formerly of
Columbus, has been a
prolific author, penning
the critically-acclaimed
works “Blackwood,”
“The Fighter,” “Despera-
tion Road,” “Rivers” and
“The Hands of Strang-
ers.”
In “Nick,” narrator
Nick Carraway steps
from the shadows of the
character readers know
from F. Scott Fitzger-
ald’s “The Great Gatsby.”
Smith’s latest has been
described as a soulful,
gripping story that imag-
ines Carraway in the
years before Fitzgerald’s
novel began.
Farris Smith’s masterful
new novel ‘Nick,’” said
Pulitzer Prize-winning
author Richard Russo
in a review. “Its stark,
unvarnished truth will
haunt you.”
Smith, who lives in
Oxford, said. “I’ve al-
ways been drawn to Nick
Carraway as a character,
his feelings on turn-
ing 30 and a decade of
uncertainty before him
have always rung true to
my own emotions when
I was the same age. And
I still feel that way much
of the time, torn be-
tween the revelations of
what we discover in life
and the abandon of those
same discoveries.”
He continued, “The
last time I read ‘Gatsby,’
a few years ago, Nick
stayed in my imagina-
tion, and he reveals so
little about himself in the
story, I couldn’t help but
emotions fueling the
creation.”
Smith’s new novel
begins on a Paris street
corner during World
War I and ends on a
Long Island estate. After
witnessing the destruc-
tion of war, Nick delays
his return home, hoping
to escape inevitable
questions about the
horrors he has seen. He
instead embarks on a
transcontinental journey
that takes him from
a doomed whirlwind
romance in Paris to the
city of New Orleans,
with its own flavor of de-
bauchery and violence.
The novel emerges as
a portrait of an era, a sto-
ry of self-discovery, an
imagining of a character
many know of but few
have pondered.
“Nick” is available for
pre-order at amazon.com
Courtesy image
and other book sellers.
Smith’s previous
novels have appeared
on Best of the Year lists
in Esquire, Southern
Living, Book Riot and
other outlets, and have
been named Indie Next,
Barnes & Noble Discov-
er, and Amazon Best of
the Month selections.
He has been a finalist
for the Southern Book
Prize, the Gold Dagger
Award in the UK, and
the Grand Prix des Lec-
trices in France, and his
essays have appeared in
the New York Times, the
Bitter Southerner, Gar-
den & Gun and more.

Null
Mr. and Mrs. Dan West

Continued from Page 7A

The Wests Studying the revered

masterworks had an
impact.
dinners to Saks Fifth
Avenue, Null took saw is a
“Ralph floriculture has taken
him around the world,

celebrate their
and hammer to repur- longtime, from London to Tokyo,
“Looking at how pose frames purchased generous to awards, to leadership
brush strokes express at estate sales and thrift supporter of the American Insti-

50th anniversary
certain feelings and emo- stores. He stretched of the arts tute of Floral Designers
tions, it brings forward cotton duck to make council,” and to his design work
that it’s all the brush. some of his own canvas- said Jan being featured with the
You’re just holding it, Miller
es. Every piece of art in Miller, Smithsonian Institution.
and the brush is the way September’s show will Columbus Arts Council But the pandemic of
in which the expression
Mr. and Mrs. Dan West of Bartahatchie celebrated be ready to hang. While executive director. “Not 2020 sent him into the
occurs.”
their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 29, 2020. An inti- some canvases measure only is he a treasure to us little studio in Columbus
mate dinner was held with family at their camp house ■■■ as large as about 3-by- but also to the commu- where he was reminded
on the river. 4-feet, the majority of nity. We feel honored to there is always some-
The couple was married Aug. 29, 1970, at First Unit- The pandemic gener- the exhibit consists of display his amazing work thing new to discover.
ed Methodist Church in Greenwood Springs. ated more than just free small works. Notecards and are proud to call him “You can surprise
Mrs. West is the former Janette Thomas. An educa- time for Null. It also trig- featuring images of some a friend.” yourself,” he said, “with
tor for 30 years, she is retired from teaching at Hamil- gered shortages of art of the new paintings are Ralph Null’s career what comes out of the
ton Elementary School. and framing supplies included as well. in floral arts and retail brush.”
Mr. West is a retired major in the Mississippi as shipments from
National Guard. He is the owner and operator of West China and elsewhere
Farms. were disrupted.
The Wests have two children, Danette West Starks “People don’t real-
and Alison West Hollingsworh, both of Columbus. ize that during all this,
They have five grandchildren and one great-grand- there’s a real shortage
child. of art supplies, even
paint colors,” Null
noted. “Most of the art
supplies come out of
China, and everybody
Weddings, engagements they can be picked up after cooped up at home is
the announcement runs in doing art.”
and anniversaries the paper. With resourceful
The Dispatch welcomes Anniversary announce- skills born of years of
wedding, engagement and ments will be printed for creating show-stop-
anniversary announce- couples who have been ping floral designs
ments. All announcements married 25 years or more. for everything from
need to be submitted on Forms should be submit- White House state
forms provided by The ted three weeks prior to
Dispatch. Separate forms the event. Couples submit-
with guidelines for submis- ting a picture may include
sion are available for each an original wedding ■ For more
type of announcement. picture at no extra cost. Lifestyles content
The charge for an Forms may be hand-de- including Felder
announcement with a livered to the office of The Rushing, 2020’s
photograph is $25. The Dispatch, 516 Main St., Fall Flower &
charge for an announce- Monday through Friday, Garden Fest going
ment without a photograph 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., faxed to virtual and MUW’s
is $15. All photographs will 662-329-8937, or mailed to Child and Par-
be printed in black and The Commercial Dispatch, ent Development
white. P.O. Box 511, Columbus, Center winning
Photos can be returned MS 39703. Forms can also an award visit the
by mail if a self-addressed, be downloaded from The Lifestyles link at
stamped envelope is Dispatch web site at www. cdispatch.com
included with the form, or cdispatch.com.
Sports PREP FOOTBALL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020
B
SECTION

RIVALS CALEDONIA, NEW HOPE SQUARE OFF IN PRESEASON SCRIMMAGE

BY BEN PORTNOY
bportnoy@cdispatch.com
CALEDONIA — Sky-
ing off the goal line, Cale-
donia defensive back Ke-
won Wyatt watched the
pass slide into his gloves
before hitting the ground.
Racing to his left, Wy-
att leapt in front of a float-
ed pass from New Hope
quarterback Ty Crowell
to close out a dramatic
first half between the
cross-county rivals Fri-
day night.
“He prepares every
day, so it’s no surprise
when he makes plays out
here on the field,” Caledo-
nia head coach Michael
Kelly said.
While offense was lim-
ited through the game’s
first 24 minutes before
JV players entered, Wy-
att’s double duty at run-
ning back and defensive
back helped Caledonia
during a rough and rug-
ged affair. Trudging up
and down the muddied
field in Caledonia, Wy-
att sidestepped outside,
turned to the corner, hit
the second level and side-
stepped once more for a
run of more than 30 yards
— the game’s first major
play early in the second
quarter.
Stopped short on third
down, Wyatt’s run set up
an errant snap by the New
New Hope quarterback Ty Crowell runs the ball for a first down against Caledonia on Friday. Caledonia will play
next Friday’s season opener at Amory, while New Hope will travel to face Houston.
Hope special teams unit
that skirted out of the
back of the end zone for a
safety.
Riding the arm of
Crowell, the Trojans re-
sponded with a scoring
drive of more than five
minutes. Taking the snap
to his right at the Caledo-
nia two yard line, Crowell
plunged his way through
the Caledonia defensive
line for the game’s first
touchdown with 4:15 re-
maining in the second
quarter.
Striking quicker than
the lightning that danced
through the night over to-
ward West Alabama, Cale-
donia quarterback Zack
Gorum flipped his second
snap of the game to up-
back Darius Triplett two
plays later. Slicing into
Antranik Tavitian/Dispatch Staff
the open field, Triplett remaining, but a blindside
dashed past the New block penalty negated the
Hope bench and into the pass.
front right corner of the Dancing through the
end zone for a go-ahead Caledonia defense for a
75-yard touchdown as the desperation scramble on
clock inched toward three fourth-and-15, Crowell’s
minutes left in the half. final pass of the first half
With one final drive, was poetically picked off
Crowell hit Dearies Smith by Wyatt on the goal line
in stride for what looked with 22 seconds left.
to be the winning score “He’s just grown up a
with just over 40 seconds lot from being a 15-year-
old to a 16-year-old,” New
Hope coach Wade Tackett
said of Crowell’s perfor-
mance.
New Hope added seven
points in the third quarter
and eight in the fourth.
Caledonia’s junior varsity
players took over at the
start of the game’s second
half, while New Hope’s JV
squad entered later in the
third quarter.
While both offenses
found their footing in the
latter stages of Friday’s
second quarter, the con-
test was marred by penal-
ties. In the first two quar-
ters, the teams combined
for four unsportsmanlike
conduct penalties cou-
pled with a slew of other
calls. And while there
were issues to clean up
ahead of season openers
at Houston and on the
road against Amory for
New Hope and Caledonia,
respectively, Tackett felt
Friday night’s scrimmage
meant more than just foot-
ball amid the COVID-19
pandemic.
“It means more right
now,” he said. “Football
means as much as it did in
2001. Right now the coun-
try needs it; this commu-
nity needs it; this county
needs it. So we felt it’d
be good to give back to
the community with this
game.”

PREP FOOTBALL BRIEFLY

Heritage Academy rolls to shutout win over Kirk Academy MSU basketball lands
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
Heritage Academy
football coach Sean Har-
rison wasn’t sure how his
team would respond after
its first loss in nearly two
years.
The Patriots needed
only two plays to put his
worries at ease.
Sam Hannon inter-
cepted a pass on the first
play from scrimmage,
Mack Howard connected
with Harris Gunter for
a 34-yard touchdown on
the next snap, and Heri-
tage Academy (1-1) rolled
to a 42-0 rout of Kirk
Academy (0-2) on Friday
in Columbus.
“It was good to see
them come out with con-
fidence,” Harrison said.
He said the Patriots
— perhaps understand-
ably — lacked that same
swagger last week in a 41-
13 loss to Jackson Prep
in Flowood. On Friday,
though, they looked in-
distinguishable from the
Heritage Academy team
that went 14-0 last year
and won the MAIS Class
5A state title.
Howard threw four
touchdown passes in the
first half, six different
Patriots scored, and Her-
itage Academy scored all
42 of its points before the
halftime whistle.
The Pats even pulled
off a critical fake punt be-
fore the game got out of
hand.
Up 7-0 late in the first
quarter, Heritage Acad-
Heritage Academy sophomore wide receiver Trey
Naugher couldn’t haul in a high pass from quarterback
Mack Howard in the first quarter Friday. The incomple-
tion resulted in a turnover on downs for the Patriots.
throwing a great ball,”
Howard said.
Fisher said the Pa-
triots had practiced the
play all week, and when
it came time to throw his
first-ever pass in a game,
he was ready.
Braden Davidson went
up the middle for a 10-
yard touchdown on the
next play, doubling the
lead and proving the fake
punt’s worth.
“We needed just a lit-
tle bit of a boost,” Fisher
said.
Fisher provided an-
other boost less than a
minute into the second
quarter, taking a Howard
pass up the middle for a
47-yard touchdown. Also
the Pats’ placekicker, he
missed the extra point for
the only time that night
— he was tired and acci-
dentally hit the tee.
“I’ll get ’em next time,”
Fisher said.
It was the only real
blemish on Heritage
Academy’s night, and
Theo DeRosa/Dispatch Staff
sity start ever Friday, it
can only get better.
The sophomore threw
for 235 yards on just nine
completions, including
his four scores. Touch-
down passes to Gunter,
Fisher and sophomore
Trey Naugher — a long-
time friend of Howard’s
— were one thing, but
his 65-yard scoring heave
to junior Wesley Miller
down the right sideline
in the second quarter was
another.
On the play, Howard
dropped back, rolled
right and uncorked what
Harrison called a “pretty
unbelievable” pass that
Miller snagged more
than 50 yards away.
The sophomore fin-
ished 9 of 15 before taking
a seat for the second half
and didn’t turn the ball
over. Harrison praised
Howard’s ability to read
defenses and accepted a
couple missed throws —
par for the course for any
quarterback.
Hannon’s interception
on Kirk’s first offensive
its first 2021 commit
snap helped ease nerves, FROM SPECIAL REPORTS release from the school
too, as junior Colbert Ha-
stated. “However, this
thcock’s pass was tipped The Mississippi State current world-wide pan-
and picked off at the Raid- men’s basketball team demic has stretched the
ers’ 34.
has officially started boundaries of intercolle-
“That’s where we need building its 2021 class. giate sports from a well-
Sam — one of our few se-
KeShawn Murphy, a being standpoint to the
niors — to really step up, 6-foot-10 forward from
limit, with no clear end or
and he really provided
Ramsay High School (Al- answer in sight.”
the spark tonight,” Harri-
abama), became the first MUW said a recom-
son said.
recruit to commit to the mendation from the
Howard found Gunt-
Bulldogs for 2021. Rated NCAA Division III Ad-
er wide open over the
the 88th-best player in ministrative Committee
middle for an easy catch-
and-run score on the next the ESPN Top 100, Mur- that schools halt athletic
phy will be eligible to sign competition for the fall
play.
“It got everybody with MSU in November. semester was a key factor
pumped,” Howard said. “I Murphy, a three-star in the Owls’ decision.
think after that, we start- recruit and the 155th- “It is important to re-
ed rolling.” best player nationally alize that this decision
Heritage Academy according to 247 Sports, is the beginning of the
hopes to keep on rolling received offers from Au- next steps forward for
right into next week’s burn, Alabama, Western Owls Athletics,” the re-
home game against Mag- Kentucky, and UAB. lease said. Our focus has
nolia Heights (2-0), the In his junior season at and always will be on the
Pats’ first district contest Ramsay, Murphy aver- long-term success of each
of the season. aged 21 points and 12.5 and every sport both ath-
“They’re a solid squad, rebounds per game en letically and academical-
so we’re going to have to ly. By securing the most
route to being selected as
put all we’ve got into it,” healthy and safe environ-
an all-state selection.
Howard said. ment possible here on
Assuming Murphy
And despite Heritage campus, we are providing
signs, the Bulldogs will
Academy’s improvement excellent instruction and
have two more scholar-
from one week to the guidance while not know-
ships to offer for the class
next, Harrison said his ingly placing risk on each
of 2021.
team can’t get compla- participant by limiting
cent against the Chiefs — opportunities for outside
the Pats haven’t magical- MUW postpones fall play.”
ly fixed everything that sports competition The Owls’ sports
ailed them quite yet. Mississippi University teams will be able to keep
“But we are in the pro- for Women announced practicing and training
cess,” Harrison said. “We Friday that it has post- during the fall semester.
took a big step forward poned all competition “Continued mon-
tonight.” for fall sports during the itoring and testing
2020-21 school year be- when needed will occur
Heritage Academy 42, cause of the COVID-19 throughout the semester
Kirk Academy 0
KA 0 0 0 0 — 0 coronavirus pandemic. to ensure we are plac-
HA 14 28 0 0 — 42
Men’s and women’s ing each student-athlete,
First quarter

emy lined up in punt for-
mation on fourth-and-10
at the Kirk 33. But in-
stead of trying to pin
the Raiders deep, sopho-
more punter Luke Fish-
er corralled a high snap,
dropped back and threw
to Gunter for 23 yards
and a first down.
“Luke did a great job
just taking his time and
it hardly mattered. Two
touchdowns later, How-
ard hit an open Gunter
on a two-point conversion
to recoup the point and
make it 35-0.
It was a reminder that
Heritage Academy, when
it’s on, is capable of pretty
much whatever it wants
to do. And under Howard,
who made his second var-
“I thought he was real-
ly patient with the ball,”
Harrison said. “I didn’t
think he really forced any
throws.”
Howard said he had a
few jitters before start-
ing in front of his home
crowd for the first time
ever, but as soon as he
stepped onto the field,
they went away.
HA — Harris Gunter 34 pass from Mack Howard
(Luke Fisher kick), clock 11:43
cross country, men’s and coach, and administrator
HA — Braden Davidson 10 run (Fisher kick), clock women’s tennis, men’s in the most healthy and
0:47
Second quarter and women’s golf, men’s safe environment possi-
HA — Fisher 47 pass from Howard (kick failed),
clock 11:34 and women’s soccer and ble,” the statement read.
HA — Wesley Miller 63 pass from Howard (Fisher
kick), clock 5:34
volleyball are affected by “Student-athletes have
HA — Trey Naugher 20 pass from Howard (Gunter the decision. already been provided
pass from Howard), 5:19
HA — Jaylan Stewart 18 run (Fisher kick), 1:10 “Make no mistake, information on our spe-
Individual statistics
PASSING: Heritage Academy — Mack Howard 9-15, elite health and safety cific return to sport pro-
235; Luke Fisher 1-1, 24.
RUSHING: Heritage Academy — Braden Davidson standards have always tocols and will continue
5-42, Jaylan Stewart 2-39, Mack Howard 3-13, Luke
Fisher 1-0.
been and will continue to to receive information
RECEIVING: Heritage Academy — Wesley Miller be a driving force in our on NCAA legislation and
2-70, Trey Naugher 3-62, Harris Gunter 2-49, Luke
Fisher 1-47, Mitchell Woodard 1-7. athletic program,” a news procedures.”
2B SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Columbus Christian Academy drops home opener

BY GARRICK HODGE
ghodge@cdispatch.com
STEENS — Columbus
Christian Academy’s Beau
Kemp had a lane.
Starting on the left side of
the field, Kemp took the open-
ing kickoff of Friday’s game
against Delta Streets Academy
60-plus yards for a touchdown
to give the Rams an early spark
in their second game of the sea-
son.
“He caught the ball; I think
they might have been trying to
onside kick it, but Beau made a
good cut,” CCA head coach Ja-
son Williams said. “Next thing
you know, he’s behind every-
body, and he did a good job tak-
ing that one back.”
But CCA (0-2) couldn’t sus-
tain the momentum and al-
lowed 34 unanswered points in
a 34-14 loss in its home opener.
“We just have to keep play-
ing, getting experience and
coming off the football,” Wil-
liams said. “We’re young, and
everybody played today. I
thought everybody played hard
and nobody quit. We gave it ef-
fort, and I’m proud of that.”
The Rams struggled to sup-
plement the early kickoff return
score with more points, allow-
“I think Beau’s OK. We’re
going to get that checked out,”
Williams said. “Initially we
were worried about an ACL or
maybe thinking it was some
type of twist. We’re hoping he
just took a bad bruise.”
CCA mounted one last
touchdown drive with less than
30 seconds remaining as Lahn-
don Townley had a 5-yard rush-
ing touchdown with 23 seconds
left. Townley finished with 23
yards on the day, while Tyler
Looney picked up 25. Defen-
sively, Looney had five tackles,
while Townley recorded four.
The Rams face Lee Academy
(Ark.) next week in an attempt
to pick up their first win of the
season.
“Tonight we played bet-
ter (than last week), I think,”
Williams said. “First of all, we
didn’t quit. We got a lot of peo-
Garrick Hodge/Dispatch Staff ple some playing time, and the
Columbus Christian Academy running back Beau Kemp (32) lowers his shoulder against Delta Streets guys we put in off the bench re-
Academy on Friday. DSA won 34-14, dropping the Rams’ record to 0-2 on the season. sponded well. I was proud of ev-
ing multiple sacks throughout lot of effort on them. I’m really the break. erybody. We just have a young
the night that stalled drives. proud of the effort.” In the third quarter, Kemp team; we lost seven out of eight
Defensively, DSA finished off Trailing 16-6 with less than took an earth-shattering hit on starters on defense and six out
drives thanks to multiple big a minute remaining before half- an outside run and appeared of eight on offense. We have to
plays generated by its spread time, CCA was stopped on a to sustain a lower-body injury. keep improving.”
offense. fourth-and-3 on the DSA 5-yard He did not return to action, but
“We’re just young on defense line, then DSA mounted a 95- Williams said the diagnosis ap- Delta Streets Academy 34,
in spots,” Williams said. “Some yard scoring drive in less than peared OK. Kemp finished with Columbus Christian Academy 14
DSA 8 14 6 6 — 34
of those tackles, there was a a minute to take a 22-6 lead into 115 rushing yards. CCA 6 0 0 8 — 14

COMMENTARY

Hodge: Eight-man, nine-man, 11-man? Oh my.

Taking a look at different levels of high school football, including CCA’s eight-man division
Friday marked what some could call an interesting
milestone for this writer.
After covering Delta Streets Academy’s 34-14 vic-
tory over Columbus Christian
Academy, I can now say I’ve
covered an eight-man, nine-
man (from spending time in
North and South Dakota), and,
of course, 11-man high school
football game.
Growing up in Illinois, I had
no idea there were other states
that played anything other than
11-man football. Getting told
my first assignment for a paper
Garrick Hodge
in South Dakota in 2014 would
be to cover a high school foot-
ball game that had only nine players on offense and de-
fense, the only reaction that could come out was “say
what, now?” My boss at the time told me there’s such a
thing as six-man football in Montana and Wyoming. I
was floored. But also fascinated.
You can imagine my reaction when I moved to Mis-
sissippi more than a year ago and was told there are
some teams that play eight-man football. The curiosity
returned.
Fourteen months later, I was finally able to see what
the hype was all about.
Because most teams that play this variation of the
sport are small schools, it has to be said there’s some-
thing special about a small town or community shut-
ting down for a Friday night to go to a football game. countered by sending four defensive linemen after the
And of course, schematically, there are vast sche- quarterback, leaving a defender unblocked albeit also
matic differences between eight-man football and its leaving each defensive back in single coverage against
older brother, 11-man football. those receivers. DSA beat the pressure by connecting
n Most players are asked to contribute both on of- on a long passing play downfield.
fense and defense. One of the main reasons eight-man n Because so many running plays are called, the
football is a thing is because of limited roster sizes, so games usually don’t take as long to complete. Which
a running back can often double as a linebacker, and
is nice for sports writers who have to file stories on
so on. Flexibility is key for these players, even on the
same side of the ball — you might line up at tight end deadline.
one play, then take a rep at fullback the next. n This note doesn’t really have anything to do with
n The referees from Friday’s game called an offi- eight-man football, but in this crappy year of 2020, I’d
cials’ timeout with five minutes remaining before half- be remiss not to share any lighthearted moment possi-
time for a water break. Can’t say I’ve seen that often. ble. While on a kickoff, a kicker who will remain name-
n CCA’s offense was built on its running game. less whiffed on his attempt, falling down to the ground
That could be because the Rams are breaking in a new with a loud thud while the ball harmlessly traveled a
starting quarterback, but the typical formation CCA yard. Seconds later, you could hear, “GET UP, CHAR-
ran was five players on the line of scrimmage (some LIE BROWN!”
offensive linemen and a tight end), a fullback, a run-
ning back and a quarterback. Occasionally, the Rams
would use play action and throw out of this set, hitting
running backs in the flats or looking for a tight end in
the middle of the field. Rarely, the tight end would line
out wide, which is what happened when the Rams con-
verted a fourth-and-long passing play for a first down.
n DSA, on the other hand, loved to spread out the
field as much as possible. It would use heavy sets sim-
ilar to CCA at times, but in a two-minute drill with less
than a minute in the second quarter, three receivers
lined up wide, a running back stayed in the backfield
and only three offensive linemen were deployed. CCA

Heritage Academy, Oak Hill split doubleheader

FROM SPECIAL REPORTS
Heritage Academy and
Oak Hill Academy soft-
ball each won one game of
Saturday’s doubleheader
in Columbus.
The Patriots took
Game 1 by a score of 8-7,
answering Oak Hill’s
three-run sixth with
three runs of their own in
the bottom of the inning.
The Raiders got another
run in the seventh but fell
one run short.
Maggie Sansing led
Heritage by driving in two
runs, while Avery Russell
and Sara Kate Thompson
both went 2 for 4.
Raylee Craven was 2
for 4 for Oak Hill with
two runs driven in, while
Dovie Suggs went 2 for 5
with two RBIs.
In the second game,
Oak Hill exploded for 11
runs in the top of the sev-
enth to win a 19-15 game.
Craven and Carley
Wooten both went 5 for
6, and Craven drove in
three runs. Baylee Smith
led the Raiders with four
RBIs, and Suggs and Mor-
gan Dabbs also drove in
three.
Thompson went 4 for 6
for the Patriots and drove
in two runs. Russell, Sans-
ing and Madison Tipton
each had two RBIs as
well.
The Patriots got two
runs back in the bottom
of the seventh and load-
ed the bases, bringing
up the tying run, but they
couldn’t score any more.
Central Hinds Aca. 11,
Starkville Aca. 1
RAYMOND —
Starkville Academy lost
Saturday’s game to Cen-
tral Hinds Academy, 11-1.
Starkville Academy
hosts Leake Academy at 6
p.m. Monday.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 3B

Eflin, Hoskins lead Phillies past Braves for fifth win in row
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PHILADELPHIA —
Rhys Hoskins had three
hits, including a three-
run homer, and Zach Ef-
lin pitched seven strong
innings to lead the Phil-
adelphia Phillies to their
fifth straight victory, 4-1
over the Atlanta Braves
on Saturday.
Bryce Harper doubled
and drove in a run for the
Phillies, who pulled with-
in two games of Atlanta
for first place in the NL
East. Philadelphia last
won five in row in August
2018.
Eflin (2-1) allowed one
run on four hits with eight
strikeouts and no walks.
He would’ve come out for
the eighth, but the game
was delayed for 37 min-
utes due to rain with the
Phillies batting in the sev-
enth.
“He was ahead in the
count, was spotting his
fastball and had them
on the defense,” Phillies
manager Joe Girardi said.
“Today he had it all.”
Johan Camargo hom-
ered for the Braves, and
Freddie Freeman extend-
ed his hitting streak to
12 consecutive games
with a ninth-inning, oppo-
site-field single that beat
the shift.
Hoskins gave the Phil-
lies a 4-0 lead with a three-
run drive in the fifth,
ending the day for Josh
Tomlin (1-2). Hoskins
Atlanta Braves center fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. makes a diving catch for an out on Philadelphia Phillies right fielder
Bryce Harper during the seventh inning of Saturday’s game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
nearly homered in the
third, but he settled for a
double when his drive to
right-center hit the top
of the wall and bounced
back into play.
“Any time you can help
the club win, it’s a good
day,” Hoskins said.
Hoskins is 7 for 21 with
three homers and six
RBIs during the winning
streak.
“We’re starting to see
the fruits of the hard
work that he and (hitting
coach) Joe (Dillon) have
put in,” Girardi said. “We
love what he’s doing.”
Philadelphia got on the
board in the first inning
when Andrew McCutch-
en scored on Harper’s
sacrifice fly.
Brandon Workman
pitched a scoreless ninth
for his seventh save in
eight tries this season.
Camargo snapped an
0-for-18 skid with a solo
homer to the second deck
in right with one out in
the sixth.
Austin Riley just
missed a homer in the
fifth for Atlanta when
his drive to left hooked
just foul. Riley ended up
striking out. Riley’s foul
was one of the few hard-
hit balls hit off Eflin, who
had his best outing of the
season despite not feeling
sharp beforehand.
“I honestly didn’t feel
that great in the bullpen
before the game,” he said.
“That being said, I’ve felt
good in previous outings
and haven’t had the line
to show it. Baseball is a
Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports
funny game.”
Tomlin gave up four
runs — three earned
— on five hits with two
walks and a strikeout in 4
1/3 innings.
“He battled really well
and did a good job oth-
er than the one at-bat,”
Braves manager Brian
Snitker said.
Bye Babe
Atlanta’s Nick Marka-
kis hit his 507th career
double, passing Babe
Ruth.
Amazing Acuña
Center fielder Ronald
Acuña Jr. robbed Harper
of at least a double with a
stellar diving catch for the
final out of the seventh.
Trainer’s room
Braves: DH Matt Ad-
ams (left knee) did not
return after striking out
in the fifth. He fouled a
ball off his left leg during
the at-bat. … OF Adam
Duvall (sore left Achilles)
was out of the lineup a day
after getting hurt while
beating out a single in the
fifth inning. Snitker said
afterward that Duvall was
available on Saturday and
likely would be back in
the lineup Sunday.
Phillies: Girardi said
RHP David Robertson
(elbow) will be shut down
for the season following
a setback from Tommy
John surgery. Robertson
signed a two-year, $23
million deal with the Phil-
lies in January 2019, but
he has pitched just 6 2/3
innings.
Up next
RHP Jake Arrieta (2-
3, 4.32) takes the mound
for the Phillies on Sunday
night in the conclusion of
the three-game weekend
set and 10-game season
series. RHP Huascar
Ynoa (0-0, 4.32) starts for
the Braves.

PREP FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

Noxubee County downs Louisville in two-quarter scrimmage

BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
LOUISVILLE — The
Noxubee County foot-
ball team had an impres-
sive showing in Friday’s
two-quarter scrimmage
at Louisville.
An 80-yard kickoff re-
turn by Antonio Fowler
and a 70-yard catch-and-
run from Chrishaad Ru-
pert to Macardi Johnson
helped the Tigers beat
the Wildcats 14-7.
Noxubee County will
play its season opener
next Friday against Shan-
non in Macon.
West Lowndes 27,
McAdams 0, scrimmage
West Lowndes blanked
McAdams 27-0 in Friday’s
two-quarter scrimmage.
The Panthers will trav-
el to face Class 3A Kem-
per County in next Fri-
day’s season opener.
Starkville Academy 29,
French Camp Academy
7, scrimmage
STARKVILLE — version on Triplett’s first
Starkville Academy beat
French Camp Academy
29-7 in a scrimmage Fri-
day.
The Volunteers are
0-1 after a Week 1 loss to
Lamar, but Friday’s game
didn’t count in the stand-
ings because French
Camp is an MHSAA pro-
gram.
Randall Futral had
touchdown passes of 70
yards to Wilkes Stubbs
and 15 yards to Brady
Johnson for the Vols.
CJ Jackson had rushing
touchdowns of 4 and 12
yards.
Starkville Academy
hosts another MHSAA
team, Noxapater, next Fri-
day in Starkville.
Calhoun Academy 32,
Hebron Christian 14
CALHOUN CITY —
Hebron Christian fell to
0-2 with a 32-14 loss at
Calhoun Academy on Fri-
day.
Braeden Triplett
scored both touchdowns
for the Eagles with a 10-
yard run in the first quar-
ter and a 19-yard run in
the second quarter. He
finished 6 of 10 passing
for 33 yards.
Doug Loden had kick-
off returns of 50 and 19
yards and led the team
with 14 tackles. Terry
Loden had 11 and Jackson
Langley had nine.
Bradley Scott had six
catches for 30 yards and
ran in a two-point con-
touchdown.
Dylan Dupont had six
carries for 12 yards.
“We played better than
last week, but we have to
improve on our blocking
and our tackling,” coach
David Foster said.
Hebron hosts district
foe Ben’s Ford Christian
next Friday in Pheba.
Alabama
Pickens Academy
55, Coosa Valley Acad-
emy 0
Pickens Academy im-
proved to 2-0 with a 55-0
shutout win over Coosa
Valley Academy on Fri-
day night in Carrollton,
Alabama.
The Pirates will play at
Sparta Academy next Fri-
day in Evergreen.
Gordo 30, Aliceville
12
GORDO — Gordo
High School beat Alicev-
ille 30-12 on Thursday
night in Gordo to improve
to 2-0 on the season.
Green Wave quarter-
back Tanner Bailey was
7 of 14 for 108 yards and
two touchdowns, includ-
ing one to running back
RayShawn Williams.
Williams also ran for 140
yards and a score on 20
carries.
Bailey had a 35-yard
touchdown pass to Ben-
jamin Capps, and Izayah
Edwards had a 7-yard
touchdown run.
Gordo converted two
safeties during the con-
test.
Aliceville scored on a
30-yard touchdown pass
from quarterback Tyjar-
ian Williams to Landon
Ball and a 2-yard scoring
run by Jermaine Brewer.
The Yellow Jackets are
1-1 after taking advantage
of Greene County’s forfeit
in Week 1. Aliceville hosts
Addison next Friday.
Gordo plays at Oak
Grove next Friday in Bes-
semer.

Contacting the Sports Department

If you need to report game scores or statistics, you can call us at 662-327-2424 ext. 126. If you need to reach sports editor Garrick Hodge, email him at ghodge@cdis-
patch.com. If you need to reach sports writer Ben Portnoy, email him at bportnoy@cdispatch.com or sports writer Theo DeRosa, email him at tderosa@cdispatch.com.

Game Coverage / Results

High school football coaches who don’t speak to a reporter from The Dispatch are asked to email information to the sports department from their games. The Dispatch
will include its prep football coverage in Sunday’s edition, so we will contact coaches Friday night or Saturday to get details. Coaches, please let us know what is the best
time for us to contact you.

Dear Abby

D
EAR ABBY: My husband’s
best friend lives with us,
and I love him like a brother.
The problem is, he has no degree
and no car and aspires to nothing
more than work in fast food part
time. We took him in to help him
get through a bad divorce, and
now it seems like he’ll never be
able to leave.
He doesn’t make enough
money to support himself and has
no ambition for completing his ed-
ucation. My husband is convinced
there is no path for him to better
himself. Since I’m supporting all
three of us, this has become a
serious bone of contention. How can I improve
this situation? — FRUSTRATED IN FLORIDA
DEAR FRUSTRATED: You should not be
supporting all three of you. Be
prepared to be the “bad guy” and
stop the gravy train now. Your hus-
band’s best friend’s career limita-
tions should not be your problem,
so give him a deadline to leave
and insist upon it, with the help of
your husband. If that doesn’t solve
your problem, you may need the
help of a lawyer for guidance.
DEAR ABBY: When I had my two
children in my 40s, I had zero idea
of how hard it would be. One has
autism; the other has ADHD. My
Dear Abby child with ADHD is very self-con-
fident and refuses to do what we
ask him to do. He’s 15 and very
smart, but he’s not able to take care of himself.
When do you stop being “the parent” and
let them take care of themselves? Parenting is
much harder than anything I’ve ever done. —
DIFFICULT IN TEXAS
DEAR DIFFICULT: Some parents start
teaching their children to be independent
well before their teens by giving them re-
sponsibilities. Others do it as their children
mature and feel that by age 18 or 21 their
supervision is no longer necessary. There are
also parents who feel their job is never over
and encourage their adult children to remain
dependent into their 30s, 40s and beyond.
Unfortunately, parenthood doesn’t come
with a rule book, so the decision about when
and how to step back is up to you and their
father, if he is present in their lives.
DEAR ABBY: I have four nieces I adore.
As they’re getting older, preteen to teen, I
give them checks for birthdays and holidays.
I have told them I do it because I want them
to learn about banking, saving money for
college, as well as enjoying some of it. My
grandmother did the same for me when I was
their age, and that’s how I learned to manage
the money I have.
I have noticed, though, that my nieces
haven’t deposited their checks. I mentioned
it to them a few times and their mom said
they would, but they haven’t. It has been five
months now. Should I just give them cash in
the future and forget about the banking and
money-management lesson? — LESSONS
LEARNED IN WASHINGTON
DEAR LESSONS: If this is the first time
you have noticed the checks haven’t been
cashed, it’s possible that they have been
lost or misplaced. If this isn’t the first time,
then ask their mother how SHE would prefer
you give your nieces the money in the future,
because it’s possible that she hasn’t set up
accounts for them.

Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Aug. 30). You’ll
communicate your heart beautifully, and others
will reciprocate often throughout the year. You’ll
speak words that become your future. Others
witness you doing this and want you to do the
same for them. New friends are featured, as well
as a fun and unexpected escape. You’ll return
with big ideas and motivation. Gemini and Pisces
adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 40, 22, 1
and 18.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Avoid getting
defensive with your teammates. You cannot be
in a defensive position and on the same side all
once. What triggers the defense? Assess the
validity of that threat.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Everyone has
emotional kryptonite. It’s easier to avoid yours if
you know what it is. When you feel weakened by
a situation, this is a gift. Identify the contributing
factors.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). When change
is in the air, you sense it before anyone else.
You notice that something feels different before
you know exactly what it is. On high alert, you’ll
figure it out soon enough.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). There is a beau-
tiful new influence coming into your world, one
that seems like it would need to be organized for
and around, but that is not the case. It doesn’t
need to be arranged, only allowed.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Learning takes place
in several modalities. You move your body to
learn. You talk your subject out, listen on it, write
about it. Trying to learn using only one modality
is like trying to walk on only one leg.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). What were the
underlying issues that started your journey to
change? It may be hard to remember this, but
try because it’s worth noting the differences and
similarities between then and now.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When you feel
loved at the deepest levels and for something
beyond your identity, your superficial successes
or your usefulness to others, ego fades. You
don’t need it so much.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Even though
you are not, strictly speaking, a newcomer to
a situation, going in with a beginner’s mind will
increase your luck exponentially. Innocent and
unbiased reception allows you to see and absorb
more.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Rituals
are, essentially, habits with a heightened sense
of meaning. You have a fantasy about incorporat-
ing certain rituals into your life. Start small, by
attaching a small action to an already estab-
lished habit.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You feel
pulled toward one activity or person more than
the others. Is it a calling or just a curiosity?
These distinctions don’t matter as you flow your
attention to what does.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’re looking
out for others. You’ll focus on risk. You’ll dig
with excellent questions. What are the unknown
unknowns? Which solutions fare better than the
alternatives?
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You know
your values, and you think often about what you
really want. But these things change. The shifts
are palpable today. Reassess. You will surprise
yourself.
4B SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
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accepting applications for 1.75 ACRE LOTS.
an experienced Floral
Designer. EXPERIENCE
Good/Bad Credit Options. Houses For Sale: Other
Good credit as low as 20%
REQUIRED. Apply Mon-Fri, down, $499/mo. Eaton
2-4pm or Sat 9am-12pm Land, 662−361−7711.
at 1325 Main Street.
No phone calls please.
LOWNDES COUNTY, MS:
36 ACRES ON GATLIN RD.
Restaurant / Hotel Excellent timber & building
sites. $72,000. For more
CAFE UNIQUE: Part-time info, call 205−799−9846
Prep cook and dish washer or 205−695−2248.
wanted. 15-20 hours per
week. Apply in person @ 94
Airline Rd. or call 662-327-
0840 or 662-386-1554 for
more information. Leave Merchandise ACROSS
1 Au naturel
message if no answer.
Ads starting at $12 5 Fancy buttons
10 Spring sign
12 Art supporter
Rentals Bargain Column
13 Black shade
Elvis picture Elvis picture 14 Game site
Ads starting at $25 Call 6627989811 662−
798−9811 15 Hot blood
16 River blocker
Apts For Rent: North Little Tykes activity gym 18 Little lie
FOX RUN APARTMENTS 1
Little tykes activity gym
662−798−9811
19 Amateur
& 2 BR near hospital. 21 Shades
$595−$645 monthly. 22 Dish-drying
Military discount, pet area, Rocking horse Rocking
pet friendly, and furnished horse 662−798−9811 aids
corporate apts.
Burial Plots 24 Colorful fish
24−HOUR PROFESSIONAL 25 Casual tops
GYM. ON SITE SECURITY.
ON SITE MAINTENANCE. 4 BUIAL PLOTS 29 Shrewd
in Friendship Cemetery. 30 Corner
ON SITE MANAGEMENT.
South West corner. $2000 4 Long swimmer 29 Extreme diets
24−HOUR CAMERA 32 Phone down-
SURVEILLANCE. Benji & Call 662−574−5420 5 Jeans joint 31 Sits for a
Ashleigh, 662−386−4446. load 6 Pitch’s kin portrait
33 Bible vessel 7 Practical 33 Pub brews
Apts For Rent: West 34 Commotion
Read local. 35 Sandbar
8 Refuses
9 Thick cuts
36 Money
machine
VIP cdispatch.com 37 Touches 11 Calms down 38 Music booster

Rentals
down 17 One more
39 Refinement 20 Pirate ad-
40 Game host dress

Service Directory
Apartments & Houses
41 Holds back 21 Body pump
1 Bedrooms 42 Signing 23 Iron target
2 Bedroooms needs 25 Formal
DOWN
3 Bedrooms 1 Pesto herb
headwear
26 Uncover
Furnished & Unfurnished Promote your small business starting at only $25 2 Turkish peak 27 Somnolent
1, 2, & 3 Baths General Services General Services
3 Steakhouse state
Carpet & Flooring Lawn Care / Landscaping
choice 28 Make blue
Lease, Deposit
& Credit Check
DUMP TRUCK HAULING. SAM’S LAWN SERVICE
Slag − $400 No lawn too large or too
viceinvestments.com Clay Gravel − $250 small. Mowing, trimming &

327-8555
Available for hauling any weedeating.
materials. Columbus. Call Call 662−243−1694
Walter, 662−251−8664.
Apts For Rent: Other Painting & Papering
WORK WANTED: Licensed
& Bonded. Carpentry, minor QUALITY PAINTING.
electrical, minor plumbing, Ext/Int Painting.
DAVID’S CARPET & insulation, painting, demo− Sheet Rock Hang, Finish &
UPHOLSTERY lition, gutters cleaned, Repair. Pressure Washing.
CLEANING pressure washing, land− Free Estimates. Ask for
FALL SPECIAL scaping, cleanup work. specials! Larry Webber,
4 Rooms − $99 662−242−3608. 662−242−4932.
Carpet − Rugs − Cars
Call for more info!
662−722−1758 HILL’S PRESSURE SULLIVAN’S PAINT
WASHING. Commercial/ SERVICE
Residential. House, Lawn Care / Landscaping Special Prices.
General Services concrete, sidewalks & Interior & Exterior Painting.
mobile washing. Free est. JESSE & BEVERLY’S 662−435−6528
A & T TREE SERVICES 662−386−8925. LAWN SERVICE
Bucket truck & stump Mowing, cleanup,
removal. Free est. Tree Services
landscaping, sodding,
Serving Columbus & tree cutting. J&A TREE REMOVAL
since 1987. Senior Got leaky pipes? 662−356−6525 Work from a bucket truck.
citizen disc. Call Alvin @ Find a plumber in the
242−0324/241−4447 Insured/bonded.
"We’ll go out on a limb for classifieds. Call Jimmy Prescott for free
you!" ads.cdispatch.com estimate, 662−386−6286.
6B SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Religion
This too shall pass
E
very day we
see how the
Covid-19
virus is spreading
like wild fire, af-
fecting many peo-
ple. Some people
is recovering from
it and some are
still dying from
it. It sometimes
make us wonder if
Sherry Ivy
it’s ever going to
end. However, we
have to keep praying to God
to heal the land and know
“This Too Shall Pass.” “If
my people, which are called
by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and
seek my face, and turn from
their wicked ways; then will I
hear from heaven, insurance benefits because perfect, stablish, strengthen, Peace, be still. And the wind
and will forgive we obeyed His word. “I know settle you. (1 Peter 5:10)K JV ceased, and there was a
their sin, and will thy works: behold, I have set We will also be faced with great calm.” (Mark 4:39)K JV
heal their land.”(2 before thee an open door, some challenges and trag- So be encouraged today
Chronicles 7:14) and no man can shut it: for edies but “This Too Shall and always remember: what-
K JV thou hast a little strength, Pass.” “For God has given ever is going on in our lives,
So many of and hast kept my word, us the victory. “But thanks “This Too Shall Pass” in
us have lost our and hast not denied my be to God, which giveth us God’s time and season. “For
jobs, businesses name.”(Revelations 3:8)K JV the victory through our Lord everything there is a season,
and homes due Sometimes bad things Jesus Christ.”
and a time to every purpose
to this pandem- happen in our lives that may (1 Corinthians 15:57)K JV
under the heaven.”(Ecclesi-
ic. From week cause us to suffer. Even now, Some of us has been in a
astes 3:1)
to week we have some of us may be in the storm for a long time, and
been struggling to hospital because of an ill- the storm is still raging Minister Sherry Ivy is a
provide for our families with ness. Others may be suffer- and getting worse. Never- Minister of The New Provi-
the small unemployment ing from severe depression theless, we can’t give up, dence M. B. Church (Healing
checks we’re receiving but, but “This Too Shall Pass.” “This Too Shall Pass.” Jesus & Yoke Destroying Ministry)
“This Too Shall Pass.” God “But the God of all grace, is calming our storm right in Macon Mississippi, under
is opening up new doors for who hath called us unto now and causing it to cease the leadership of her husband,
us to get jobs that will not his eternal glory by Christ by just speaking to it. “ And Pastor Willie J. Ivy Sr. You
shut down. This job will have Jesus, after that ye have he arose, and rebuked the can contact her via email at
a bigger salary and better suffered a while, make you wind, and said unto the sea, minsivy@yahoo.com

For our complete church directory listing, visit us online at www.cdispatch.com/religion

Due to local restrictions, churches likely have modified service types and hours. Please contact a church before attending a service.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is F eatured C hurch

“There is Liberty”
Ke nne th Mo ntg o m ery www.memorialgunterpeel.com
Proudly serving our community 716 Second Ave. N. • Columbus, MS • 662-328-4432
for over 30 years 903 College St. • Columbus, MS • 662-328-2354

OAK GROVE MB CHURCH — 1090 Taylor Thurston Rd. Sunday School 9:00 a.m., Worship 10
a.m., 5th Sunday 8 a.m., Wednesday Bible Study 6:15 p.m. Pastor Therman Cunningham Sr.,
662-798-0179

If you would like your church to be the featured church of the week,
submit a photo by emailing it to community@cdispatch.com.
Photos should be horizontal and high quality.
• RECYCLING SINCE 1956 •
Specializing in industrial accounts The Dispatch will publish photos at no charge as space permits.
662-328-8176 973 Island Rd. 1-800-759-8570

R Free Estimates
LER OO 1721 Hwy 45 N
EE FIN Licensed
& Insured Columbus, MS
W H INC. G ®

COMMERCIAL 662.848.0919
“A Family Business Since 1946” RESIDENTIAL Monday-Saturday 10am-8pm
662-328-3625 • 662-328-7612 In Style. In Reach. Sunday 1pm-5pm

When Caring Counts... SHELTON’S TOWING, INC. TRINITY PLACE

2500 Military Road Suite 1
Columbus, MS
Since 1960 RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
662-328-7500 24 Hour Towing Offering independent living apartments, personal
westrealtycompany.com
WEST REALTY COMPANY care/assisted living suites, and a skilled nursing home
Don West, Broker/Owner FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY 1024 Gardner Blvd. 300 Airline Road • Columbus, MS • 327-6716
1131 Lehmberg Rd., Columbus • 662-328-1808 328-8277 “Our Bottom Line Is People”

Hunting • Fishing
Northeast Exterminating Working Or Stepping Out — We Have A Complete
Line Of Clothing For You And Your Family
If it Jimmy Linley • Richard Linley
LLC
Oktibbeha County Co-Op
crawls, Columbus
Check Out Our Boot & Cap Section
662-323-1742
call... 662-329-9992 201 Pollard Rd., Starkville

BRISLIN, INC. Insurance Services:

Young
Sales • Service • Installation Shelton Cleaners Personal
Auto Insurance Agency
Residential • Commercial • Industrial Home GEORGE F. YOUNG
Since 1956 3189 Hwy 45 N. • 328-5421 Commercial Office-662.570.1688
www.brislininc.com Final Expense Cell-662.251.3563
1702 6th St. N. • 328-5361 gfyoung08@gmail.com
4051 Military Road • 662-328-5814 1205 Gardner Blvd.,Columbus, MS

APAC-MISSISSIPPI, INC.
Michael Bogue & Employees
Lake Norris Rd. 328-6555

INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, INC The McBryde Family

www.hydrovaconline.com 1120 Gardner Blvd. • 328-5776

Jarrett’s Towing This ad space can be yours

Wrecker Service for only $10 per week.
5209 N. Hwy 182 E. • Columbus, MS 39702
329-2447 We unlock Telephone: 662-327-1467 Call today 328-2424
If no answer 251-2448 cars P.O. Box 1278 • 1616 7th Ave. S., Columbus, MS 39703 to schedule your ad.

If you need to change your church’s online listing or would like to add
your church information, call 328-2424 or email changes to tinap@cdispatch.com
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 7B

SSunday
unday CComics
omics
8B SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Puzzles