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Monday | October 5, 2020

Fire destroys church in East Columbus

State fire marshal to investigate cause; An early
morning fire
destroyed First
church had in-person services on Sunday Independent
Methodist
DISPATCH STAFF REPORT responded to extinguish the blaze. Church, located
Andrews said no one was injured. at 417 N. Lehm-
An early morning fire destroyed The fire swept through the sanc- berg Road, on
an East Columbus church Monday. tuary and adjoining activity center Monday. No
According to Columbus Fire and and classrooms, all of which shared injuries were re-
Rescue Chief Martin Andrews, a a common roof. The church is con- ported, but the
call came in at 1:40 a.m. at First In- sidered a total loss. church is con-
sidered a total
dependent Methodist Church, locat- Firefighters remained on the
loss. The cause
ed at 417 N. Lehmberg Road. scene throughout the morning. of the fire is
Firefighters responded within “Right now, what we’re doing is under investiga-
three minutes of the call to discover the chain of command,” Andrews tion by the state
smoke and flames emerging from said. “We’ve had someone at the fire marshal’s
the church sanctuary, according to scene since the call and we’ll be office.
Andrews, who said 15 firefighters See CHURCH FIRE, 3A Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff

Starkville plans
MONDAY PROFILE
to improve heavily
High school football official can ‘feel’ traveled roads,
difference of pandemic atmosphere add sidewalk
connections
in 2021
Kemp: Road projects
should go out for bid in
February or March
BY TESS VRBIN
tvrbin@cdispatch.com

It’s been 13 years

since the last time
the city of Starkville
overlaid Main Street,
and Mayor Lynn
Spruill said it was ob-
vious in a Southeast-
ern Conference pro-
Spruill
motional video that
included a shot of the
main downtown thor-
oughfare.
This was one rea-
son she asked City
Engineer Edward
Kemp to compile a
road maintenance
Kemp
policy, which he pre-
sented to Spruill and the board of
aldermen at Friday’s work session.
“The roads that our residents
and visitors travel the most are the
ones that I think need to be on a
shortened time schedule to keep
Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff them looking good,” Spruill said.
Albert McBrayer, a high school football official, is ready for the action before Friday’s game at Aberdeen High “It’s the ‘who we are’ of our commu-
School. McBrayer, 63, has been officiating for 13 years. He said he misses the large crowds that were a part of nity.”
the high school experience prior to COVID-19 crowd-size restrictions. The city is responsible for im-
proving and maintaining 128.9
McBrayer started officiating at age 50, mainly as a favor for a friend miles of roads, or 268 lane miles.
The roads that receive the most
BY SLIM SMITH COVID-19 era, there are just fewer limiting attendance at high school traffic and are most vital to con-
ssmith@cdispatch.com fans to deliver them. football games to 25 percent capac- necting the city — with the excep-
ity. Last week, he raised the atten- tions of state highways, which the

A
lbert McBrayer misses the
big crowds at high school
football, which seems a bit
counterintuitive, given his connec-
tion to the game.
McBrayer is a game official, part
of a seven-member crew responsi-
ble for enforcing the rules of play,
often to the consternation of fans.
Reactions from unpopular calls
still rain down on officials in the
“I think the biggest difference
is the crowds,” said McBrayer, who
serves as line judge. “We were at
West Point last weekend. You know
that if there are no restrictions,
there’s going to be close to 10,000
people in the stadium. Same way in
Starkville. They bring big crowds,
too. It’s a whole different atmo-
sphere now. You can feel it.”
Prior to the start of the season,
Gov. Tate Reeves issued an order
dance maximum to 50 percent. Mississippi Department of Trans-
“I do miss the big crowds we portation maintains — will receive
have at some of the games,” Mc- top priority for maintenance, such
Brayer said. “It creates so much as Main, Jackson and Montgomery
energy and everybody feels it, streets, Kemp said.
including us.” In Fiscal Year 2020, which end-
McBrayer, 63, got into the ed Sept. 30, the city spent $1 mil-
officiating business relatively late lion repairing 5.09 miles of roads,
compared to most high school including North Long Street, Edge-
officials. wood Drive, Lindbergh Boulevard
See MCBRAYER, 3A and Howard Road. The city plans to
repair 5.51 miles in FY 2021, which
Kemp said is estimated to cost
See ROAD MAINTENANCE, 6A

WEATHER FIVE QUESTIONS CALENDAR LOCAL FOLKS PUBLIC

1 What is the name given to the Tuesday MEETINGS
measurement used to determine the Oct. 6: Colum-
■ Evening mammograms: North
magnitude of earthquakes? bus City Council,
2 What automobile manufacturer Mississippi Medical Center-West Point
5 p.m., Municipal
makes the Corvette? offers late mammogram appointments
Complex, face-
3 How can a driver tell if an interstate until 7:30 p.m. in honor of National
book.com/Cityof-
runs north-to-south or east-to-west in Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
the United States without looking at ColumbusMS/
Eliza Johnson Refreshments served; door prizes
a map? Oct. 7: Colum-
Third grade, Heritage awarded. To schedule: 662-377-6655
4 Which British rocker inspired the bus Municipal
or 1-800-843-3375.

77 Low 51
name of a fossilized swamp creature School District
High with a super-sized mouth in 2014? Board review
Sunny
5 On which Mediterranean island was
Napoleon Bonaparte born — Corsica,
Thursday meeting, 11:30
Full forecast on ■ Downtown Art Walk: Columbus’ a.m., Brandon
Sardinia or Corfu?
page 3A. rescheduled Downtown Art Walk from Central Services
Answers, 6B
5:30-7:30 p.m. features multiple Oct. 14: Colum-
artists in and outside participating bus Municipal
businesses (bring cash or check for School District
INSIDE art), live music, promotions and a dec- Board meeting,
Classifieds 6B Dear Abby 4B orated face mask contest. Main Street 11:30 a.m.,
Comics 4B Obituaries 5A Columbus, 662-328-6305, or Colum- Nancy, Cora Beth and Jack Brandon Central
141st Year, No. 176 Crossword 3B Opinions 4A bus Arts Council, 662-328-2787. Robertson live in Starkville. Services

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2A MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Trump’s doctor’s comments

on symptoms, care spark confusion
Doctor said he had tried to present a rosy description of the
president’s condition ‘and in doing so, came off like we’re
trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true’
BY LAURAN NEERGA ARD
AP Medical Writer
For the second day in a
row, the Navy commander
in charge of President Don-
ald Trump’s care left the
world wondering: Just how
sick is the president?
Dr. Sean Conley is
trained in emergency med-
icine, not infectious dis-
ease, but he has a long list
of specialists helping deter-
mine Trump’s treatment at
Walter Reed National Mili-
tary Medical Center.
Conley said Sunday
that Trump is doing well
enough that he might be
sent back to the White
House in another day —
even as he announced
the president was given
a steroid drug that’s only
recommended for the very
sick.
Worse, steroids like
dexamethasone tamp
down important immune
cells, raising concern
about whether the treat-
ment choice might ham-
per the ability of the pres-
ident’s body to fight the
virus.
Then there’s the ques-
tion of public trust: Con-
ley acknowledged that
he had tried to present
a rosy description of the
president’s condition in
his first briefing of the
weekend “and in doing
so, came off like we’re
trying to hide something,
which wasn’t necessarily
true.”
In fact, Conley re-
fused to directly answer
on Saturday whether the
president had been given
any oxygen — only to ad-
mit the next day that he
had ordered oxygen for
Trump on Friday morn-
ing.
It’s puzzling even for
outside specialists.
“It’s a little unusual to
have to guess what’s re-
ally going on because the
clinical descriptions are
so vague,” said Dr. Steven
Shapiro, the University of
Pittsburgh Medical Cen-
ter’s chief medical and
science officer. With the
steroid news, “there’s a
little bit of a disconnect.”
Conley has been
condition is released pub-
licly, as is true in any doc-
tor-patient relationship.
But Conley as a mil-
itary medical officer is
bound to adhere to the
Trump’s physician since Uniform Code of Military
2018 — and already Justice, which prohibits
has experienced some lying, he said.
criticism about his de-
A number of current
cisions. In May, Conley and former military offi-
prescribed Trump a two-
cials declined to comment
week course of the ma- on the record, referring
laria drug hydroxychlo- all questions to the White
roquine to protect against House. But several said
the coronavirus after two they were concerned that
White House staffers had Conley’s efforts to spin a
tested positive. Rigorous more upbeat characteri-
studies have made clear zation of the president’s
that hydroxychloroquine, current health condition
which Trump long cham- is raising flags within the
pioned, does no good in Navy about his credibility
either treating or prevent- and the reputation of the
ing COVID-19. Navy’s medical team.
This time around,
Conley is being put to an
even greater test, trying
to balance informing a
public that needs honesty
about the condition of the
president with a patient
who dislikes appearing
vulnerable.
Dr. Stephen Xenakis, a
psychiatrist who retired
from the Army medical
corps as a brigadier gen-
eral, said Conley would be
obliged to follow Trump’s
wishes regarding what
information about his

Delays in verifying mail-in

ballots will slow election tally
‘The longer it takes for the election Potential problems are
looming most acutely in
results to be known, the greater Pennsylvania, which is
being hotly contested by
the risk that they’re going to be Trump and Democratic
nominee Joe Biden. Re-
questioned and second-guessed ...’ publican state lawmakers
Lisa Schaefer, executive director of the County there have not allowed
Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania additional time to process
ballots that arrive before
BY ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE That’s priming a sce- Election Day, despite
The Associated Press nario in which results pleas from local election
may come in days — or officials.
Voters awaiting re- even weeks — later. Pennsylvania is expect-
sults in some of the key In an election cycle ed to see 3 million or more
presidential battleground
that has seen President mail-in ballots — half of
states on election night
Donald Trump baseless- this year’s total and a ten-
should be prepared to
ly cast doubt on the le- fold increase from 2016.
keep waiting, thanks to
gitimacy of mail voting, Registered Democrats
obstacles that will slow
the count for what is ex- many fear that any delay are applying at a rate of
pected to be a crush of in results could give the nearly 3 to 1 over Repub-
mailed-in ballots amid the president more room to licans.
coronavirus pandemic. continue his attacks. “The longer it takes
Many states allow local Democrats are re- for the election results
officials to start process- questing mail-in ballots to be known, the greater
ing those ballots weeks at higher rates than Re- the risk that they’re go-
before Election Day or publicans in many states, ing to be questioned and
even as they arrive. But giving rise to the notion second-guessed, and that
in some of the most cru- that Trump could enjoy we’re going to be that na-
cial states on the electoral election night leads — a tional news story that we
map, rules prevent or give so-called “red mirage” really don’t want to be,”
clerks little time to begin — only to see that edge said Lisa Schaefer, execu-
sorting ballots and verify- slowly vanish as mail-in tive director of the Coun-
ing signatures before the ballots are tallied over the ty Commissioners Associ-
election. days that follow. ation of Pennsylvania.

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 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 3A

UNDER THE CAPITOL DOME

Analysis: Mississippi voting on Jim Crow-era election steps

Gov. Tate Reeves argues the proposed
change is only designed to help Democrats
BY EMILY WAGSTER PET TUS
The Associated Press
JACKSON — Mississippi
voters will decide this year
whether to simplify the process
for electing a governor and oth-
er statewide officials by elimi-
nating a step that’s a bit like the
electoral college in the presi-
dential race.
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves
argues the proposed change is
only designed to help Demo-
crats. But voting-rights advo-
cates say Mississippi needs to
erase a procedure that’s rooted
in the state’s racist history of
trying to undermine Black vot-
ing rights.
The Mississippi Constitution
currently requires a statewide
candidate to win a majority of
the popular vote and a majority
of the electoral vote. One elec-
toral vote goes to the candidate
receiving the most support in
each of the 122 state House dis-
tricts.
If nobody wins both the pop-
ular vote and the electoral vote,
the race is decided by the state
House.
But representatives are
not obligated to vote as their
districts did. That means the
election could be decided by
deal-making or even by the
whim of a lawmaker who dis-
agrees with the majority of vot-
ers in his or her own district.
The last time a governor’s
race was thrown to the Mis-
sissippi House was in January
2000. Nobody received the re-
quired majorities in a four-per-
son governor’s race in 1999.
The top two candidates were
white, and each won 61 elector-
al votes. In January 2000, House
members chose Democrat Ron-
nie Musgrove, a one-term lieu-
tenant governor who led the
popular vote for governor, over
Republican former U.S. Rep.
Mike Parker. At the time, the
House was controlled by Dem-
ocrats. It is now controlled by
Republicans.
Under proposed constitu-
tional amendment on Missis-
sippi’s ballot this year, winning
a race for governor or other
statewide office would only re-
quire a majority of the popular
vote. If nobody wins outright
with at least three candidates
on the ballot, the top two would
go to a runoff. The requirement
to win a majority of state House
districts would disappear.
Mississippi is the only state
with a multistep process for
electing a governor. It was
written when white politicians
across the South were enact-
ing laws to erase Black political
power gained during Recon-
struction. The separate House
vote was promoted as a way for
the white ruling class have the
final say in who holds office.
For years, critics have said
the process violates the princi-
ple of one person-one vote. And
for years, legislators have done
nothing to change it, although a
few have tried.
Democrats thought the elec-
toral provision might come into
play in a tight 2019 governor’s
election. But Reeves, who had
served two terms as state trea-
surer and two as lieutenant
governor, easily defeated three
candidates, including Demo-
crat Jim Hood, who had served
four terms as attorney general.
Legislators put the proposed
constitutional amendment on
this year’s ballot only after
Black plaintiffs sued the state
over its electoral process last
year.
During a state election com-
mission meeting last month,
Reeves said: “The ballot initia-
tive as it currently stands is go-
ing to have one effect and only
one effect, and that is to help
Democrats — help Democrats
try to keep Republicans from
getting elected to governor.”
About 38 percent of Missis-
sippi’s residents are Black. The
lawsuit, which was backed by
former U.S. Attorney General
Eric Holder, argued that Missis-
sippi’s election system violates
the principle of one-person,
one-vote.
Plaintiffs said Mississippi’s
history of racially polarized
voting means that candidates
preferred by Black voters must
receive a higher share of the
statewide vote to win a majority
of House districts.
Days before the 2019 gover-
nor’s race, U.S. District Judge
Daniel P. Jordan III wrote that
he has “grave concern” about
the constitutionality of the
electoral vote provision. Jor-
dan wrote that the plaintiffs’
argument about violation of one
person, one vote is “arguably ...
their strongest claim.”
Jordan put the lawsuit on
hold in December and said he
would give legislators a chance
to remedy the system by put-
ting a proposed constitutional
amendment on the ballot. The
amendment will need approval
from a simple majority of vot-
ers.

Mississippi holds hearings on medical marijuana initiatives

Supporters said marijuana is a low-risk, effective way to treat pain;
opponents said it is an addictive substance that can lead to other problems
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OXFORD — People
supporting and opposing
two medical marijuana
initiatives in Mississippi
are getting the chance to
speak at public hearings
before the Nov. 3 election.
More than 100,000 reg-
istered voters petitioned
to put Initiative 65 on the
ballot. An alternative, Ini-
tiative 65A, was put there
by legislators.
Sponsors of the orig-
inal initiative say the al-
ternative is intended to
cause confusion and kill
the original.
About two dozen peo-
ple attended a public
hearing Wednesday in
Oxford, where supporters
said marijuana is a low-
risk, effective way to treat
pain and opponents said it
is an addictive substance
that can lead to other
problems, the Northeast
Mississippi Daily Journal
reported.
It was first of five pub-
lic hearings about the two
medical marijuana initia-
tives.
Saltillo resident Cody
Weaver, a veteran and
business owner, spoke in
favor of Initiative 65. He
said marijuana can treat
post-traumatic stress dis-
order, which could help
thousands of veterans. He
described Initiative 65 as
a “carefully written, clear-
ly defined” plan to allow
treatment of pain.
“We have an oppor-
tunity this November to
offer a hand to some of
these veterans,” Weaver
said.
State Board of Health
member Jim Perry spoke
in opposition, saying the
constitutional amend-
ment proposed by Initia-
tive 65 is too broad and
could have dire conse-
quences.
“I think many of the
people for it are well in-
tentioned,” Perry said.
“Those people who signed
those clipboards didn’t re-
alize all the things that go
along with this.”
Perry, who works in
the financial industry,
criticized how the amend-
ment would distribute the
revenue collected on the
sale of marijuana. He said
all the money would go
back into the marijuana
industry.
“They’re marketing to
kids so they can get as
many people hooked as
possible so they can make
as much money as possi-
ble,” Perry said.
Initiative 65 would al-
low patients to use med-
ical marijuana to treat
debilitating conditions, as
certified by physicians.
Initiative 65A would
allow patients with debil-
itating conditions to use
medical marijuana. It says
the state would create a
program based on “sound
medical principles.”
There’s a two-step
process for voting on
65 and 65A. The ballot
first instructs people to
“Vote for approval of ei-
ther, or against both.” It
then says, “And for vote
for one” — either 65 or
65A. Secretary of State
Michael Watson said that
even if people vote against
both initiatives on the first
part, they can still vote for
one of the proposals on
the second part.

McBrayer
Continued from Page 1A
It was sort of an acci-
dent, he said.
Roger Short, one of
McBryer’s longtime
friends, is a longtime
football official and crew
chief. McBrayer said
that friendship led him
to take up officiating at
age 50.
“Roger lost his
clock-operator going
into the year and needed
somebody,” McBrayer
said. “He asked me if I
would do it and I agreed,
mainly as a favor to
Roger.”
After one season as
the clock operator, Mc-
Brayer was hooked.
The next year, he
moved to the field as line
judge and has been line
judge of Short’s crew
ever since.
The line judge’s
primary responsibility is
enforcing line-of-scrim-
mage rules, including
pre-snap violations.
The move to the field
was not without its chal-
lenges, especially that
first season, McBrayer
said.
“My first year on the
field, it may have even
been my first game, I had
one of those moments I’ll
never forget,” McBrayer
said. “I was nervous as a
cat, of course. Well, one
of the worst mistakes you
can make is an inadver-
tent whistle.”
At the end of the first
half, with East Webster
driving inside South
Pontotoc territory, East
Webster ran a play, which
resulted in a fumble
recovered by South
Pontotoc. Sure enough,
McBrayer had whistled
the play dead before the
fumble.
Immediately recog-
nizing his mistake, he
went to each sideline to
inform the coaches of his
error. By rule, the team
on offense had the option
of letting the play clock
expire or running one
more untimed down.
“The East Webster
coach said, ‘You mean
I can choose to run
another play? I’ll take it,’’
McBrayer recalled. “That
was the easy part. The
hard part was going over
to the other sideline and
telling their coach that it
was East Webster’s ball
and they had another
play. Let’s just say he
wasn’t happy about that.”
As the teams lined up
for the play, McBrayer
had a sinking feeling in
the pit of his stomach.
“I just knew East Web-
ster was going to throw
the ball and probably
score on the play,” he
said. “I was sick.”
To his amazement, the
East Webster quarter-
back took the snap, took
a couple steps back and
kneeled down to end the
half. No harm done.
“I guess the coach felt
sorry for me,” McBrayer
said. “As he was coming
out for the second half,
I went up to him and
thanked him. He said if
that’s the worst mistake I
ever made, I’d be alright.”
A dozen years later,
that moment remains
etched in his memory.
Now at 63 and a year
removed from knee sur-
gery, McBrayer doesn’t
know how much longer
he will keep working
games.
“I only see rear-ends
and feet now,” he said,
laughing. “I used to see
faces. So I know I can’t
keep doing it forever.
I think when I make it
to 65, that might be the
time to step down. We’ll
see.”

AROUND THE STATE

13-year-old boy could
face adult charge in
sister’s stabbing
BATESVILLE — A
13-year-old boy in north
Mississippi could be
charged as an adult after
he stabbed his 10-year-old
sister.
Batesville police told
WREG-TV that the attack
happened Thursday in
the family’s apartment.
The boy was arrested
on an aggravated assault
charge and taken to a ju-
venile detention center.
The girl was taken to a
hospital in Memphis, Ten-
nessee, with multiple stab
wounds.
Police said the decision
on how to charge the boy
will depend on what they
learn in the investigation.
A neighbor said she
heard the girl’s screams
as she was arriving home
from work.
“I just heard her
screaming and scream-
ing and I know it was a
little child and I looked
down there and was just
started screaming and
screaming,” Annette Trib-
ble said.
US regulators approve
permanent license
for Jackson zoo
JACKSON — The U.S.
Department of Agricul-
ture has approved a per-
manent license for a zoo
in Mississippi’s capital
city.
The department did
a virtual walkthrough of
the Jackson Zoological
Park last week and issued
the facility a permanent
exhibitor’s license, Mayor
Chokwe Antar Lumumba
told news outlets.
The park reopened
to the public on a tempo-
rary exhibitor’s permit in
August with coronavirus
capacity restrictions and
other measures in place.
It was closed for nearly a
year to allow for extensive
repairs and to secure the
federal license to exhibit
animals, the Clarion-Led-
ger has reported.
SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates
peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Mon. Tue.
Major 3:19a 4:04a
Minor 8:59p 9:30p
Major 3:41p 4:27p

Church fire
Minor 10:45a 11:42a
Courtesy of Mississippi Department
of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Continued from Page 1A

here until the (state) fire marshal’s investigators arrive to begin their investigation.”
Andrews said the cause of the fire could not be determined until the fire marshal’s
The Dispatch
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of the ordinary.”
Opinion
4A MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 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

POSSUMHAW
Nightfall in the Prairie
“For me this is
a time to feel the
weight of change.
This season I want
a friend to be with,
someone who will
not be shocked if
I sometimes want
to wail like the
cicadas.” Gunilla
Norris, author of
“Embracing the
Seasons” Shannon Bardwell
Two weeks into fall and the
weather changed. After a long
drought with cracks in the
ground looking like a road map one on the ground, Harry will
and the grass crunching like
potato chips, the rains came on fellow to create his buzzing
three occasions. It was more
than welcomed.
Rain brought a bit of
coolness in the night air;
the cicadas with their night
song vanished as fast as the
coolness came. As I would
feed the rabbits, the cicadas
would make their incredible
humming sound. The sound is
made by membranes, similar
to the human ear, attached
to the cicadas’ abdomen. The
membranes vibrate,
making a drone
sound with increas-
ing intensity.
There are vary-
ing types of cicadas;
some appear every
17 or 13 years, or
annually. I think
ours were the annu-
al kind. The male
cicadas can be up to
2 inches long, with
a green iridescent
color and big bug eyes. Harry,
the cat, and I both find the
cicadas fascinating. Finding
pounce at the bug, causing the
sound. The cicada will twirl
around on its back like a wind-
up toy. A few expired cicadas
have been left as gifts on our
doormat.
Cicadas are not locusts
and do not cause damage like
locusts. Locusts are a type of
grasshopper. The last U.S. dev-
astating locust swarm was in
1877 in the western states. The
nymph stage of the cicada may
drink juices from the roots of
perennial plants, but a cicada
is not generally considered a
nuisance unless one finds the
sound’s volume disturbing.
Personally, I like the night
sounds cicadas make.
Another evening, while
trying to collect the cats for
the night, I came up on a very
large possum, or opossum
as no one around here calls
them. In fact, I backed up a
bit to make sure I was seeing
what I thought I was seeing. Its
skinny little tail alone was at
least 2 feet long. The possum’s
eyesight is poor so it nosed
around across the grass under
the bird feeders that haven’t
been filled since spring. Then
it continued slowly, moving its
way into the woods.
According to The Humane
Society of the United States’
website, possums are not near
the nuisances they are made
out to be. They are not aggres-
sive and do not tear things up.
They are good at cleaning up
the messes of other foraging
creatures as well as discarded
organic matter. They don’t kill
anything, and their hissing is
more fright than bite. Their
main defense is playing “pos-
sum.” They pretend they are
lifeless.
We’re starting to see flocks
of black-bellied whistling
ducks fly over. The visiting
Canada geese come and go.
Some weeks there may be 40
and another maybe six or eight
at the lake’s edge. I heard them
honking one dark night as they
took flight.
Down the gravel road
there’s a scraggly old tree
where vultures and eagles
rest. Our domestic Pekin
ducks have a new friend, a lone
bufflehead duck. When I come
with feed, it takes off across
the water like a motorboat.
Email reaches Shannon
Bardwell of Columbus at msdel-
tachild@msn.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Voice of the people
Encourages readers to vote
Have you forgotten me? I am your country —
America, the land of the brave and courageous
men and women who fought and gave their lives so
you could be free!
Why are you letting others try to tear me down
and destroy me? They keep feeding you small
doses of socialism where one day you’ll wake up
and realize I’m gone! Please don’t allow this to hap-
pen. My democracy would then cease to exist and
be only a memory. Does socialism really lead to
communism? You bet it does. America as you know
it now would then be no more!
How will my demise be brought about? It could
be by these things:
1. Diluting religion
2. Depending on government to take care of all
our needs
3. Controlling all aspects of education
4. Controlling our healthcare system
5. Erasing history
6. Increasing poverty
7. Lack of respect for authority/law and order
8. Controlling how we defend our property and
our lives
What can you do to protect me, you ask?
Be proud you are an American! Be respectful!
Be thankful! Be humble! Remember that how you
treat me really shows that you love me and cherish
me. Please don’t take me for granted. I need your THE NATION
What is the moral response when
nurturing and loyalty now. Don’t allow our free-
doms to be forever lost. Don’t forget those rights
were so hard-earned. Don’t forget those principles
on which I was built. Guard your liberties with dil-
igence! Don’t allow them to be eliminated slowly,
one by one!
I am America; I am democracy; I am your free-
bad things happen to bad people?
dom home! “Whatsoever a man further: “We should surprising. I mean, who didn’t see
I urgently implore you to be a patriot and soweth, that shall he also not be joyful about the this coming?
protect me. It is time for a reality check. Yes! It is reap.” suffering of another As a matter of policy, I try not
now or never! Exercise your responsibility: Vote on Galatians 6:7 human being, even if to gloat over the illness or death
November 3. s/he is an adversary.” of people with whom I disagree or
Evelyn Egger Thompson I received the news In different ways, all even people, like Trump, whom
President, Monroe County Republican Women that Donald Trump and these responses raise I hold in profound contempt. I
Hamilton his wife had been diag- a question I don’t re- made an exception in this space
nosed with COVID-19 call being addressed in for Osama bin Laden, but that’s
in a text from a family Philosophy 101. What about it. And no, I won’t be mak-
member. It came with is the moral response ing another exception here.
31 laughing emojis, the when bad things hap- In the first place, as loathsome
Our View: Local Editorials kind with tears squeez- Leonard Pitts pen to bad people? a human being as he is, Donald
Local editorials appearing in this space represent the
opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board: Peter Imes, ing out of both eyes. That Trump is a bad Trump is someone’s father. In the
editor and publisher; Zack Plair, managing editor; Slim “It is what it is,” I texted back. person can hardly be debated. By second place, and more import-
Smith and senior newsroom staff. To inquire about a This, of course, was an echo of whatever metric one measures ant, finding happiness in his ill-
meeting with the board, please contact Peter Imes at Trump’s icy response in August humanity — decency, empathy, ness feels wrong, feels un-Chris-
662-328-2424, or e-mail voice@cdispatch.com. when an interviewer reminded compassion, intelligence, char- tian, feels like sticking out your
him of the disease’s awful death ity, leadership — he is one of chin and daring God to take a
Voice of the People toll on his watch. Twitter was an the more defective individuals poke. After all, the admonition
We encourage you to share your opinion with readers even more interesting place than this country has ever produced. quoted at the top of this column is
of The Dispatch. usual after the news broke. Co- The man mocked a reporter for a sword that cuts both ways. So I
Submit your letter to The Dispatch by: median J-L Cauvin issued a video having a disability. He mocked hope Trump and his wife get well.
E-mail: voice@cdispatch.com mocking the diagnosis. “No- Hillary Clinton for having pneu- I’ll even pray for it.
Mail: P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703 body’s ever tested more strongly monia. He mocked Ali Velshi of But with that said, we are,
In person: 516 Main St., Columbus, or 101 S. Lafay- for COVID,” he said in Trump’s MSNBC for being hurt covering all of us, only human. And it is
ette St., No. 16, Starkville. voice. A woman who tweets as a protest. And he told us over and asking too much to require those
All letters must be signed by the author and must
include town of residence and a telephone number
The Volatile Mermaid noted that, over again that COVID-19 was no of us who have spent four years
for verification purposes. We request the tone of your “Trump never would’ve gotten big deal, even though he knew watching in impotent fury as this
letters be constructive and respectful and the length COVID if he hadn’t been tested better. man got away with murder not to
be limited to 450 words. We reserve the right to edit for it.” Bette Midler tweeted, We’ve got it under control, he feel a certain grim satisfaction at
letters for clarity, grammar and length. While commen- “Looks like RBG argued her first said. Probably be gone with the seeing karma make its belated
tary on national issues is always welcome, we limit case before God, successfully.” warm weather, he said. One day arrival. If this diagnosis forces us
candidate endorsements to one per letter-writer. Indeed, enough people were like a miracle, he said. Now, like to walk a moral tightrope, well,
having enough fun at the ex- 7.3 million Americans, 208,000 I’m fine with that.
pense of a 74-year-old man with of whom have died, he has the I feel no joy that Donald Trump
a life-threatening disease that disease. is suffering. But I feel no sorrow,
Local journalism matters CNN contributor Bakari Sellers Seldom in human history has either.
Support The Dispatch by felt compelled to issue a friend- any man been so deservedly Leonard Pitts Jr., winner of the
subscribing or advertising ly warning: “Don’t get fired for hoisted by his own petard. Sel- 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commen-
662-328-2424 or cdispatch.com your takes on Twitter today . . .” dom has justice seemed more po- tary, is a columnist for the Miami
One of my followers, who tweets etic. And seldom, it must be said, Herald. Email him at lpitts@
as Rabbi_Beth_Schwartz, went has a plot development been less miamiherald.com.

Facing a conservative turn, Supreme Court opens new term
Term is so far short on high-profile Social justice group sets protest over high court nominee
cases, but that could change because THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
of the prospect of court involvement
in lawsuits related to the election zation is planning demonstrations pandemic.
BY MARK SHERMAN
AND JESSICA GRESKO
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Poor People’s Campaign: A
The Supreme Court
opens a new term with
Republicans on the cusp
of realizing a dream 50
years in the making, a
solid conservative major-
ity that might roll back
abortion rights, expand
gun rights and shrink the
power of government.
Eight justices are get-
ting back to work Monday
at a most unusual, politi-
cally fraught moment in
American history. They’re
still mourning the death
of their colleague Justice
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the
leader of the court’s liber-
al wing. They’re working
in the midst of a pandemic
that has forced the court
to drastically change the
way it conducts business.
And the presidential elec-
tion is less than a month
away.
President Donald
Democratic consultant raps Sen.
Roger Wicker for no mask on flight
Delta requires passengers to wear a
mask on flights except while eating
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BILOXI — Delta Air
Lines says it’s investigat-
ing after a Democratic
campaign consultant
tweeted a picture of U.S.
Sen. Roger Wicker not
wearing a mask on a
flight.
Matt Harringer told
the Sun Herald that he
took the picture Thurs-
day on a flight to Jackson,
where his company is pro-
ducing media for Demo-
cratic U.S. Senate candi-
date Mike Espy.
“I’ve seen enough Re-
publican senators test
positive to tweet this
COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
OBITUARY POLICY
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tion including visitation and
service times, are provided
free of charge. Extended obit-
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and other details families may
wish to include, are available
for a fee. Obituaries must be
submitted through funeral
homes unless the deceased’s
body has been donated to
science. If the deceased’s
body was donated to science,
the family must provide official
proof of death. Please submit
all obituaries on the form
provided by The Commercial
Dispatch. Free notices must
be submitted to the newspa-
per no later than 3 p.m. the
day prior for publication Tues-
day through Friday; no later
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and Monday publication. For
more information, call 662-
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www.cdispatch.com
RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Car- Barrett and his refusal to take up a from Democrats, the first time in
olina-based social justice organi- relief package during the COVID-19 U.S. history a nominee will be voted
Trump’s nominee for
Ginsburg’s seat, Judge
Amy Coney Barrett, could
be on the bench in time for
one of the term’s biggest
cases, post-Election Day
arguments in the latest
Republican bid to strike
down the Affordable Care
Act, which provides more
than 20 million people
with health insurance.
Barrett’s confirmation
would cement a 6-3 con-
servative majority and
diminish Chief Justice
John Roberts’ ability to
moderate the court’s de-
cisions. That’s because
conservatives would have
five votes even in cases
where Roberts might side
with the remaining three
liberal justices.
“I would guess that on
the whole we’re going to
see a considerable and
perhaps quite rapid shift
to the right,” said Orin
Kerr, a law professor at
the University of Califor-
nia, Berkeley.
photo,” Harringer posted
on Twitter Friday night.
“Senator Wicker — be-
cause you refused to wear
a mask on our Delta flight
last night, please let your
fellow passengers know
your status once you’ve
been tested.”
Harringer was refer-
ring to other senators
who have tested positive
for COVID-19 in recent
days along with President
Donald Trump.
Delta requires passen-
gers to wear a mask on
its flights except while
eating, and the airline
responded to Harringer
AREA OBITUARIES
Eleanor King
COLUMBUS — El-
eanor King, 84, died
Oct. 3, 2020, at Trinity
Healthcare.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Memori-
al Gunter Peel Funeral
Home and Crematory,
Second Avenue North
location.
Keith Miller
CALEDONIA —
Keith Miller, 58, died
Sept. 29, 2020, at his
residence.
Memorial services
are at 2 p.m. today, at
Vernon First Baptist
Church, with Brandon
Phillips officiating.
Burial will follow in Shi-
loh-Pinhook Cemetery.
Otts Funeral Home of
Sulligent, Alabama is
in charge of arrange-
ments.
Mr. Miller was born
June 19, 1962, in Amo-
ry, to the late Joseph
Henry Miller and Mary
Log on.
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 5A
Connell’s rush to push through Su- Trump to fill the Supreme Court
preme Court nominee Amy Coney seat has drawn fierce objections
on so close to a presidential elec-
across the nation to protest efforts
North Carolina protests are tion. Ginsburg died on Sept. 18, and
to fill the U.S. Supreme Court seat
scheduled for Raleigh, Charlotte Barrett was presented as the nomi-
left open by the death of Justice
and Hendersonville. Other cara- nee one week later.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
vans are planned in California, West The Poor People’s Campaign
National Call for Moral Revival said Virginia, South Carolina, Maine, has organizing committees in more
Friday that it plans to hold caravan Ohio, Kentucky, Texas, Mississippi than 40 states focusing on systemic
protests on Monday at the offices and Oklahoma, a spokeswoman for racism, systemic poverty, ecological
of North Carolina Republican Sen. the group said. devastation, the war economy, mili-
Thom Tillis over Sen. Mitch Mc- The rush by President Donald tarism and religious nationalism.
The term is so far High-court involve- Pending are pleas from tween Republican Sen.
short on high-profile ment in the election Republicans to reverse Lindsey Graham and
cases, but that could could make this “the decisions extending the Democratic challenger
change quickly because most tumultuous and deadline for receiving Jaime Harrison.
of the prospect of court divisive term since the and counting mail-in bal- The court will begin
involvement in lawsuits Supreme Court decided lots in the battleground the term the way it ended
related to the election. Bush v. Gore 20 years state of Pennsylvania the last one, meeting by
Trump has said he wants ago and effectively de-
and suspending a ballot telephone because of the
Barrett in place soon so termined who would witness requirement in coronavirus pandemic
that she could be among become president of the
South Carolina, where and allowing the public to
nine justices, including United States,” said Irv polls find a tight race be- listen live to arguments.
his other appointees Neil Gornstein, a Georgetown
Gorsuch and Brett Kava- University law professor.
naugh, who weigh in on Already this year, the
any voting cases. Four justices have weighed
years ago, Republicans in on election issues in
were content to leave a Wisconsin, Alabama,
Supreme Court seat open Rhode Island, Florida
through the election, and Texas. Among the
even if it meant having an issues: ballot witness re-
eight-justice court decide quirements and allowing
any election challenges. all voters to vote by mail.
that it was looking into
his photo.
mask under his chin at
8:37 p.m., 9:27 p.m. and
A spokesperson for the
Mississippi Republican
9:46 p.m., which Harrin-
ger said was before take-
said Wicker lowered his off, during the flight and
face mask to eat a snack, just before landing.
and he forgot to put it When Harringer con-
back up. fronted the senator as he
“When he was remind- got off the plane, Wicker
asked why he had not said
ed by a flight attendant,
something sooner, Har-
he put the mask back up,”
ringer said.
Rick VanMeter said in a
statement. “He did not
attend any recent events
at the White House and
has not been in contact
with any of the individuals
who have tested positive
for COVID-19 in recent
days.”
But three time-
stamped photos from
Harringer show Wick-
er on the plane with his
Blanche Taylor. He
attended Lamar County
High School and was
formerly employed as a
mechanic and an auto
body repairman.
In addition to his par-
ents, he was preceded
in death by his brother,
Jonathan Miller.
He is survived by his
children, Jared Keith
Miller and Jessie Miller
both of Vernon, Ala-
bama.
Eleanor King
Incomplete
2nd Ave N. Location
memorialgunterpeel.com
6A MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

A THOUSAND WORDS

ABOVE: Jacarious Jones, 9, of

Starkville reads to a group of his
fellow 4-H club members at Maben
Park on Saturday. The club set
up a booth to raise breast can-
cer awareness at the Starkville
Area Arts Council’s Art in the Park
event, in which volunteers for SAAC
handed out books and boxes of art
supplies. Jacarious is the son of
Cornelius and Nicole Jones. RIGHT:
Audra Misso and her 5-year-old
daughter Alena choose books from
the free collection offered by the
Starkville Area Arts Council at Art
in the Park on Saturday at Maben
Park. The Missos live in Cumber-
land and stopped by the event on
their way out of town, and Audra
said the books would serve as good
road trip entertainment. — Photos
by Tess Vrbin/Dispatch Staff

Road maintenance
Continued from Page 1A
about $1,133,000. The
projects should go out
for bid in February and
March 2021 so construc-
tion can start in March
and April, he said.
The city also has bond
money set aside for side-
walk improvements with
three goals: to create
safe routes to and from
schools, fill in gaps be-
tween sidewalks and build
sidewalk infrastructure
in neighborhoods that do
not have it, Kemp said.
Examples of sidewalk
additions include the en-
trance to the Rolling Hills
neighborhood north of
Garrard Road, a connec-
tion to Dollar General
from the multi-use path
on Louisville Street and a
connection from Lincoln
Green to the Social Block
apartment complex north
of Locksley Way.
The Louisville Street
project is on Tuesday’s
board meeting consent
agenda, meaning it will
be approved without dis-
cussion.
MDOT has been
conducting a regional
transportation study of
Starkville, Oktibbeha
County and Mississippi
State University for about
a year to determine where
improvements could be
made. MDOT is collect-
ing a great deal of data,
including traffic counts at
“critical intersections and
corridors,” said Robert
Walker, Neel-Schaffer’s
chief liaison to MDOT.
“This is trying to give
y’all a tool so you can try
to make the best deci-
sions you can on prior-
itizing all the different
transportation needs that
you’ve got,” Walker said.
Engineers are working
on a plan that prioritizes
the future needs of bicy-
clists as the city continues
to improve and expand its
roadways and sidewalks,
he said.
The transportation
study has shown that the
city’s buses, through the
Starkville-MSU Area Rap-
id Transit system, are not
always on time, possibly
due to traffic congestion
on Highway 12, Walker
said.
“One thing we may
look at is a bus priority
system, which kind of
looks like the emergency
vehicle preemption sys-
tems in our traffic sig-
nals,” he said. “As those
buses approach Highway
12, they would get priori-
ty to move them through
and keep them on time.”
Potential state-funded
‘big project’
Spruill said she and
State Rep. Rob Roberson
(R-Starkville) have dis-
cussed the possibility of prove a mile of Highway
requesting “a big project” 182 should “take care of
from the Legislature this that.”
year. She said the board will
Roberson told her this discuss potential projects
year is “a good year” to again at the next work
request funding for such session on Oct. 16.
a project, Spruill said, and
her preferred endeavor
would be to extend Hospi-
tal Road west and connect
it to Highway 25.
“We need to have
something to take to the
Legislature by the be-
ginning or middle of De-
cember in order to pre-
file (legislation) and get
in front of anything the
Legislature is going to
do,” Spruill said. “Another
element to this is that we
need to all agree. We need
to be unanimous in order
for us to be successful in
getting the funding.”
Kemp is a building con-
struction science lecturer
at MSU, and two years
ago he assigned students
to develop preliminary
plans for the project, but
he would have to develop
them further if the alder-
men decide to bring the
request to the Legisla-
ture.
Ward 7 Alderman Hen-
ry Vaughn said he wanted
the city to do something
to better control traffic on
Highway 182. Spruill said
the $12.66 million grant
from the U.S. Department
of Transportation to im-

Tess Vrbin/Dispatch Staff

Starkville City Engineer Edward Kemp shows a complete map of the city’s road sys-
tem to the board of aldermen at Friday’s work session. The roads that are most vital
to connecting the city, such as Main, Jackson and Montgomery streets, will be the
city’s top priorities for maintenance in the future.

If you don’t read The Dispatch, how are you gonna know?
Sports
Mayfield leads Browns to win over Cowboys, Prescott, 49-38
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS home of the Cowboys for
the first time since win-
ARLINGTON, Texas ning a Big 12 champion-
— Baker Mayfield and ship with Oklahoma there
Myles Garrett enjoyed three years
their homecoming. ago. Now
It was easy to forget the Austin
the surroundings were fa- native has
miliar for Odell Beckham the Browns
Jr., too. at 3-1 for the
Mayfield threw for first time
two touchdowns, includ- since 2001.
ing one set up when Gar- “No, and Prescott
rett had a strip sack in a I don’t re-
third straight game, and ally care,”
Beckham scored three Mayfield said when asked
times and the Cleveland if he knew it had been
Browns held on to beat 19 years since Cleveland
the Dallas Cowboys 49-38 won three of its first four
on Sunday. games. “It’s 2020 and
The Cleveland quarter- we’re moving on to the
back was playing at the next one.”
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Deep Braves bullpen preparing for biggest test against Miami
Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Will Smith (51) throws a pitch during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner
Field in early March.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS may have to maneuver
his pitching staff through
ATLANTA — The five games in five days.
deep Atlanta Braves bull- Braves starters failed to
pen is preparing for its last five innings in more
biggest test. than half of the 60 regu-
There will be no off lar-season games, but the
days in the best-of-five NL strong bullpen helped At-
Division Series against lanta win its third straight
the Miami Marlins, NL East title.
which begins Tuesday in
Atlanta relievers threw
Houston. nine scoreless innings in
Manager Brian Snitker the two-game sweep of
Butler’s big night helps Heat cut Lakers’ Finals lead to 2-1
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS It was the third
40-point triple-double
LAKE BUENA VIS- in finals history, Butler
TA, Fla. — Jimmy Butler coming up with the game
is not ready to go home. of his life when the Heat
A triple-double later, needed it most. He was
he joined NBA Finals lore 14 for 20 from the field,
— and the short-handed and after the Heat sur-
Miami Heat might have rendered a double-digit
made this title matchup a lead early in the fourth
series after all. he made sure this one
Butler finished with 40 wouldn’t get away.
points, 11 rebounds and “Win,” Butler said.
13 assists, and the Heat “I don’t care about tri-
beat the Los Angeles ple-doubles. I don’t care
Lakers 115-104 on Sun- about none of that. I real-
day night to get within 2-1 ly don’t. I want to win. We
— doing so with starters did that. I’m happy with
Bam Adebayo and Goran the outcome.”
Dragic still unable to play Game 4 is Tuesday
because of injury. night. Tyler Herro and
PRO FOOTBALL
Garrett played just a
few miles from where he
grew up and played high
school football, on a field
he visited several times
at Texas A&M before be-
coming the No. 1 overall
draft pick in 2017.
Beckham Jr.? He spent
his first six seasons with
the New York Giants, a
once-a-year visitor for the
Cowboys as NFC East ri-
vals. So there were plenty
of people, even with the
pandemic-reduced crowd
of 25,021, who had seen
him celebrating in an
AT&T Stadium end zone
before.
Beckham capped his
big day with a 50-yard
Cincinnati in the NL wild-
card series and could
be even more important
against the Marlins.
“I think the bull-
pen depth helps us be
equipped, but you know
we’re not going to throw
them five days in a row,”
Snitker said Saturday.
“That’s going to be the
challenge, the lack of off
days that normally in the
Kelly Olynyk each had 17
points for Miami, which
got 13 from Duncan Rob-
inson and 12 from Jae
Crowder.
LeBron James had
25 points, 10 rebounds
and eight assists for the
Lakers, while Kyle Kuz-
ma and Markieff Morris
each had 19 points off the
bench. Anthony Davis
managed 15 for the Lak-
ers.
Whenever the Heat
looked ready to pull away
and grab control of Game
3, the Lakers always
found a way to find their
best gear.
A 13-point Heat lead in
scoring run on a reverse
after the Cowboys had
cut a 41-14 deficit to three
late in the fourth quarter
with three straight touch-
downs and 2-point conver-
sions.
“It’s funny, Kareem
(Hunt) before the play
was like, ‘We just need 5
yards,’” said Beckham,
who had 81 yards receiv-
ing and two scores with
73 yards rushing on two
reverses in his first three-
score game in nearly five
years.
“And Harrison Bryant,
the rookie is giving me
advice and coaching me
up and telling me to stay
inbounds. I said, ‘Thanks,
playoffs you have where
you exhaust all those
guys.”
Will Smith, Chris Mar-
tin and Mark Melancon
worked back-to-back days
in the sweep of the Reds.
If there had been a third
game, all would have
been available.
Snitker said he may
have to use some reliev-
ers in as many as four of
the early going? The Lak-
ers had the lead back in
less than five minutes.
A 14-point Heat lead af-
ter a 10-0 run to start the
second half? The Lakers
scored the next eight.
A 12-point Heat lead
late in the third? It took
the Lakers less than five
minutes to put together a
20-6 run, taking the lead
back at 91-89 with 8:55
left on a layup by Rajon
Rondo.
But the rest of the way
was all Miami, Butler
simply unwilling to let his
team go down 3-0. The
only other time Miami
was down 2-0 in a finals
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020
rook.’ And I turned the
corner and everybody
was blocking and I just
turned the jets on and
found the end zone.”
Dak Prescott had
his first 500-yard game,
throwing for 502 yards
and four touchdowns
while becoming the first
NFL quarterback with at
least 450 yards passing in
three straight games.
Prescott set that re-
cord because the Cow-
boys (1-3) have played
from way behind three
straight weeks, in part
because of turnovers by
him. He five the past two
games.
And now Dallas has
Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports
the five games against the
Marlins. Smith said there
will be no complaints
from the bullpen.
“We’ve got a pionship, you have to win
hard-working bullpen,”
Smith said. “We show up
every day and we get our
work done. We’re all on
that first bus. We all know
we want to throw that
night. ... We take pride
See BRAVES, 3B
was 2006, when Dwyane
Wade took over and led
the Heat all the way back.
This time, it was But-
ler — another Marquette
guy — in that role.
“I think we realized
that we belong,” Butler
said.
It was 22-9 Miami after
eight minutes, with the
Heat coming out desper-
ate to make this a series
and the Lakers looking
nothing like a team on the
cusp of a title — with nine
turnovers in the same
time span it took them to
score nine points.
See HEAT, 3B
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
B
SECTION
lost the first of three
straight home games in
what could prove to be a
critical stretch if coach
Mike McCarthy wants to
get Dallas to the playoffs
in his first season. Cleve-
land’s Kevin Stefanski is
in his first season as well.
“We keep hurting
ourselves on offense,
putting our defense in
bad spot,” said Prescott,
whose interception on
his career-high 58th and
final attempt ended any
comeback hopes in the
final two minutes. “And
not starting fast enough,
that’s what’s been kill-
ing us over the past few
See COWBOYS, 3B
Hamlin wins
in 3rd OT of
Talladega’s
longest race
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TALLADEGA, Ala.
— Denny Hamlin put
himself in position to fi-
nally win in the playoffs
by hanging at the back
to avoid the carnage of
the messiest and longest
race in Talladega Super-
speedway history.
His sweeping three-
wide pass in triple over-
time Sunday brought an
end to the sloppiest race
of the season. The Day-
tona 500 winner surged
to the win coming out of
the final turn — it was
the 58th lead change of a
race that went nearly 32
miles, or 12 laps, longer
than scheduled.
Talladega was pocked
with 13 cautions, two
more than the record,
and nearly every title con-
tender had some sort of
damage. Only six of the
12 made it to the finish.
Hamlin insisted lag-
ging the No. 11 Toyota
at the back of the field all
day, waiting to pounce at
the end, was his strate-
gy all along. Either that,
or he was simply the last
driver standing when giv-
en the chance to snap a
skid that started with the
playoffs one month ago.
“I hate to say it, but
you have to play the
game. You have to get to
the next round,” Hamlin
said. “To win the cham-
the last race and you have
to get to the last race. For
us, we played the strate-
gy to play the numbers to
make sure we got locked
in.”
Fitting for this partic-
ular wreck-fest was that
Hamlin’s win needed
official review. He had
gone below the yellow
out-of-bounds line during
the third overtime, but
NASCAR ruled the move
was legal.
“They were crashing
in front of us,” Hamlin
shrugged. “Obviously, I
got forced down there.”
The crowd of 15,000
— the most allowed to at-
tend the Alabama super-
speedway — booed Ham-
lin as he was declared
the winner. He dismissed
any notion of a controver-
sy over the yellow line
rule, noting it had been
called by NASCAR the
same way the entire race.
The race went more
than four hours, so long
that it was moved from
NBC to NBC Sports Net-
See NASCAR, 3B
2B MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Titans have 2 new positives, none for rest of NFL

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE, Tenn.
— Another Tennessee
Titans player, fullback
Khari Blasingame, and
another staff member
have tested positive for
the coronavirus, while
the rest of the NFL re-
turned no new positives
on Sunday, a person
familiar with the situa-
tion told The Associated
Press.
The Titans’ outbreak
is now at 20 cases, with
18 positive tests returned
since Tuesday with the
addition of Blasingame
to the COVID-19/Re-
serve list on Monday.
The results from
around the rest of the
league come as the NFL
postponed the Patriots’
game at Kansas City to
Monday night. New En-
gland starting quarter-
back Cam Newton and
Chiefs practice squad
quarterback Jordan
Ta’amu were both added
to the COVID-19 reserve
list Saturday.
Newton wrote Sunday
on Instagram that he’ll
use his time off from foot-
ball to “get healthy and
self reflect on the other
amazing things that I
should be grateful for.”
The person who con-
firmed the two new cas-
es involving Tennessee
spoke to the AP on con-
dition of anonymity Sun-
day because neither the
NFL nor the Titans had
announced the latest re-
sults.
The negative test re-
sults Sunday include
New Orleans Saints full-
back Michael Burton,
who falsely tested pos-
itive on Saturday. The
Saints learned of the
positive test after leaving
New Orleans for Sun-
day’s scheduled game in
Detroit and ran another
series of tests on players
and staff overnight.
The Saints beat the Li-
ons 35-29.
Minnesota, which lost
to Tennessee a week ago,
won at Houston 31-23.
After that game, coach
Mike Zimmer said one
starter had a false pos-
itive COVID-19 result
from a point-of-contact
test before the game and
had to take two more
tests at the stadium
before he was cleared
to play. The team also
had three other players
whose tests were incon-
clusive and had to re-
take tests, forcing them
to turn in their inactive
player list about 10 min-
utes late.
On Monday, the
league will hold a con-
ference call with all 32
teams to reinforce the
necessity of following
protocols — including
updates made this week
after the outbreak involv-
ing the Titans — provide
updates on testing and
contact tracing and to
share best practices.
On Monday night, the
Patriots will play at Kan-
sas City in a game air-
ing on CBS at 7:05 p.m.
EDT. The Atlanta Fal-
cons-Green Bay Packers
game will shift to an 8:50
p.m. EDT start on ESPN.
Sunday marked the
sixth straight day that at
least one member of the
Titans’ organization has
had a positive test result
return. The Titans had
hoped to get back into
their building Monday or
Tuesday, but they must
go consecutive days
without a single positive
result before that can
happen.
Wednesday now is the
earliest they can get back
in their facility, which is
the day Tennessee would
start practicing to pre-
pare to host Buffalo on
Oct. 11.
Tennessee’s outbreak
appears to have started
Sept. 24 when it placed
cornerback Greg Mabin,
who was on the practice
squad, on the reserve/
COVID-19 list. Then out-
side linebackers coach
Shane Bowen’s test re-
sult came back positive
on Sept. 26, and he did
not travel with the Titans
to Minnesota.
After the NFL post-
poned the Titans’ game
set for Sunday against
Pittsburgh, the league
rescheduled it for Week
7 on Oct. 25 during Ten-
nessee’s bye. The league
also moved Baltimore’s
bye to Week 7, so the Ra-
vens now can play Pitts-
burgh on Nov. 1.
Officials from the NFL
and its players’ union met
with the Titans on Friday
to review the situation
and investigate whether
any protocols were ig-
nored.
Any further outbreaks
could cause much more
juggling of the schedule,
with speculation that the
NFL could extend the
regular season into Janu-
ary and push the playoffs
and Super Bowl back on
the 2021 calendar.

No days off puts stress on pitchers in Division Series

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Postseason games
come at an unprecedented
pace starting Monday in
this year of the pandemic.
Teams could play the
Division Series over five
straight days, take a single
day off and then contest
the League Champion-
ship Series on seven con-
secutive days. That could
stress closers such as Ar-
oldis Chapman, Liam Hen-
driks and Kenley Jansen,
and starters like Gerrit
Cole and Walker Buehler.
“I’m old school, I guess,
but it’s all about winning.
And if they needed me,
I wanted them to put me
in there, ” said Darold
Knowles, who helped
Oakland win the 1973 ti-
tle by becoming the first
to pitch in all seven World
Series games. “I think
that’s the way everybody
feels now, but they’re so
afraid they’re going to
hurt somebody. And I un-
derstand that. I think it’s a
little bit overdone.”
No one has pitched in
games for five straight
days since Shawn Tolleson
for Texas from Sept. 29 to
Oct. 3, 2015, according to
the Elias Sports Bureau.
The last to pitch for sev-
en straight days was San
Francisco’s Steve Kline
from July 31 to Aug. 6,
2007.
“The five days in a
row would be interesting,
right? You would have to
be really efficient the first
four days for that to hap-
pen,” New York Yankees
reliever Zack Britton said.
“But if it’s a winner-take-
all game, you’re going do
it because that’s what you
need to do to win.”
The Division Series
has had a 2-2-1 format
since 1998, with a day
off scheduled between
Games 2 and 3, then an-
other between Games 4
and 5 as the teams shift to
each other’s ballpark. The
League Championship
Series has had a 2-3-2 for-
mat since 1985, with days
off between Games 2 and
3, then another between
Games 5 and 6.
Travel days were elim-
inated as Major League
Baseball switched to a
bubble environment in an
attempt to avoid October
interruptions caused by
COVID-19.
AL Division Series start
Monday, when the Yan-
kees and Tampa Bay play
at San Diego’s Petco Park,
and Oakland and Houston
meet at Dodger Stadium
in Los Angeles. NL Divi-
sion Series open the Tues-
day, with Miami facing At-
lanta at Houston’s Minute
Maid Park and San Diego
going against the Dodgers
at new Globe Life Field in
Arlington, Texas.
To start twice in the
Division Series, Game 1
pitchers would have to
come back on three days’
rest.
“The change was pure-
ly a product the timing
we needed to institute
the bubble and avoid ex-
tending the end date of
the postseason,” baseball
Commissioner Rob Man-
fred wrote in an email to
The Associated Press.
“We always are concerned
about player health, but
the number of days in a
row is not all that different
from stretches in the reg-
ular season and we have
expanded rosters.”
Union head Tony Clark
said the schedule was set
at MLB’s discretion.
“The original draft of
the postseason schedule
we received on 7/31 had
fewer off days but didn’t
eliminate them,” he wrote
in an email. “We didn’t see
the revised schedule un-
til right before it went out
publicly.”
Winners advance to the
ALCS in Arlington start-
ing Sunday and the NLCS
in San Diego beginning
Oct. 12. The World Series
opening Oct. 20 will keep
the days off in the 2-3-2 for-
mat used since 1924, even
though it will be played en-
tirely in Arlington.
Reaching the World
Series will test an entire
pitching staff more than
usual. Washington used
five pitchers for 31 of 36
innings of its sweep of St.
Louis in last year’s NL
Championship and three
pitchers — Max Scherzer,
Stephen Strasburg and
Patrick Corbin — for 89
2/3 innings among 153 in
the postseason, or 59%.
“You can’t just send
your closer out there for
two innings and think
those guys are going to
continue to to be able to
do that. They’d probably
be willing to do it, but it’s
probably not going to be
the most successful way
forward,” Marlins manag-
er Don Mattingly said. “I
don’t mind it honestly, It
tests your depth of a pitch-
ing staff and the way you
do things You don’t need
the off days. You’re not
traveling.”
Mike Marshall pitched
in relief on eight straight
days for the Los Angeles
Dodgers from May 17-24,
1974, during his Cy Young
Award-winning season, al-
lowing one run and 13 hits
in 14 2/3 innings with 11
strikeouts and two walks.
Kent Tekulve set a re-
cord when he pitched on
nine straight days for Phil-
adelphia from Aug. 5-13, They don’t run as much.
1987, giving up one run They’re more aware of
and seven hits in 10 in- pitch counts, where before
nings with five walks and they weren’t. Before they
eight strikeouts. had different stimuluses
“I’m willing to pitch ev- that were legal than you
ery single game. I think can use now,” he said.
everyone else is, too,” “The money’s different.
Marlins reliever Richard There are more teams
Bleier said. “I’ve worked and therefore there’s
my whole life to get to more jobs, where back in
this situation and be able the day you didn’t com-
to contribute in a play- plain about things or go
off team. This is why we on the DL because there
all play. And I would love weren’t as many teams
nothing more than to con- and so therefore some-
tribute to every game pos- body would have your job
sible.” if you did.”
More frequent appear-
ances would change Blei-
er’s approach.
“It’s more like a start-
er mentality where you’re
getting three at-bats
against a guy in consec-
utive days and you need
to remember those previ-
ous at-bats and what they
did and take that into the
next outing and mix and
match,” he said.
Jimmy Cordero of
the Chicago White Sox
topped pitchers on post-
season teams with 30 reg-
ular-season appearances
this year, down from the
80 by Oakland’s Yusmeiro
Petit heading into the 2019
playoffs.
“Working for the play-
ers’ advantage is they
haven’t just played a six-
month season. So there’s
less overuse accumulation
going into playoffs,” said
Glenn S. Fleisig, a Ph.D.
who is research director at
the American Sports Med-
icine Institute and works
with renowned surgeon
Dr. James Andrews. “But
working against them is
the concentrated sched-
ule. I can’t conceive any
reliever is actually going
to appear seven days in a
row because I don’t know
if that really happens
these days.”
Three years ago, Los
Angeles Dodgers man-
ager Dave Roberts used
Brandon Morrow in 14 of
15 postseason games, a
total of 13 2/3 innings and
176 pitches over 27 days.
Morrow joined Knowles as
the only pitchers to appear
in all seven World Series
games, but his cut fast-
ball dropped by 2 mph to
an average of 92.6 mph by
Game 7 against Houston.
“I don’t see anybody if
there is a Game 5 pitching
five games in a row,” Rob-
erts said.
Houston’s Dusty Bak-
er, at 71 leading his fifth
team in 23 seasons as a
manager, says times have
changed since he broke
into the big leagues in
1968.
“I think a lot of them are
in better shape. They take
better care nutritionally.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 3B

Cowboys
Continued from Page 1B

games.”
The Browns ran for
307 yards and three
touchdowns despite
losing lead back Nick
Chubb to a knee injury
in the first quarter. Ste-
fanski said Chubb would
have an MRI exam.
Hunt, who has been
battling a groin injury,
had 71 yards and two
touchdowns, and D’Er-
nest Johnson doubled
his career yardage of
26 yards in the first half
alone, going on to fin-
ish with a team-high 95
yards.
Beckham’s first TD of
ki said. “I told the guys
we were not going to go
through another game
without that one getting
called.”
Garrett celebrated
his homecoming early
with the first of his two
sacks on the second play
from scrimmage. The
second sack turned the
tide.
In a 14-14 tie in the
second quarter, Garrett
forced the first of two
turnovers on consec-
utive plays by Dallas,
both converted into
touchdowns as Cleve-
land broke the tie with
2-yard TD run.
“I am no stranger to
this field so playing on
this field and making
big plays is not new to
me,” Garrett said. “I am
just glad that I was able
to do it again.”
Amari Cooper had 12
catches for 134 yards
and a TD for Dallas, and
rookie CeeDee Lamb
scored his first two
touchdowns.
NICKED UP CHUBB
Chubb, who came in
as the NFL’s fourth-lead-
ing rusher, was injured
in the first quarter
first team since Oak-
land in 2012 to allow at
least 38 points in three
straight games in the
same season. The only
other time the Cowboys
did it was their inaugu-
ral season in 1960, when
they went 0 -11-1.
INJURIES
Browns: WR Kha-
Darel Hodge hurt his
hamstring in pregame
warmups. ... DT Larry
Ogunjobi left with an
Sudoku YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
abdominal injury and
didn’t return.
Sudoku
Sudoku is a number-
placing puzzle based on
Sunday’s answer
Sudoku 1 4 2 5 7 8 3 9 6
Cowboys: C Joe Loo- a 9x9 gridis witha several
num-
ber-placing
ney injured his right given numbers.puzzleThe object 6 5 9 1 3 4 7 8 2

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

the game was also Jar- 27 consecutive points. based onthe a 9x9
when his right leg was knee on the first offen- is to place numbers 8 7 3 6 9 2 5 1 4
vis Landry’s first touch- Garrett easily beat grid
down pass in his 100th undrafted rookie Ter- rolled up on by a pair of sive play of the game 1 to 9with
in theseveral
empty spaces 5 9 4 3 8 7 6 2 1
opposing linemen en- and didn’t return. He given
so that numbers.
each row, eachThe 7 2 6 9 4 1 8 5 3
career game, a 37-yard ence Steele and hit object
score on a trick play. Prescott as he was try- gaged with each other. was replaced by rookie column and each 3x3 the
is to place box 3 8 1 2 5 6 4 7 9
He limped to the locker Tyler Biadasz. numbers
contains the1same to 9 number
in
It was the longest TD ing to throw, leading to the empty spaces so 4 6 5 8 2 9 1 3 7
toss by a receiver since a 1-yard scoring pass room, and the team said only once. The difficulty
that each row, each 9 3 7 4 1 5 2 6 8
Beckham’s 49-yarder to Austin Hooper from it was a knee injury. UP NEXT level increases from
column and each 2 1 8 7 6 3 9 4 5
with the Giants in 2018. Mayfield, who was 19 of Browns: Indianapolis Monday
3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday. Difficulty Level 10/03

“That was something
that I have had on the tip
of my tongue a few other
games, and I just did not
get it called,” Stefans-
30 for 165 yards. After
Ezekiel Elliott fumbled
at the end of a 24-yard
run near midfield, the
Browns drove to Hunt’s
NO D IN BIG D
Cleveland’s 307 yards
rushing were the most
the Cowboys have ever
allowed. Dallas is the
at home next Sunday. the same number only once. The difficulty level
Cowboys: New York increases from Monday to Sunday.
Giants in second of
three straight home
games next Sunday.

NASCAR
Continued from Page 1B

work because local news
and then NFL football
needed the big network.
The brutality of the
day was punctuated by
Kyle Busch, who was at
last given a merciful exit
when he was collected in
an accident during the
second overtime.
The reigning Cup
champion is still winless
this season and on the
verge of playoff elimina-
tion. He was involved in
a dizzying number of in-
cidents at Talladega, in-
cluding a 13-car accident
in which older brother,
Kurt, went airborne over
Cole Custer. That ac-
cident brought out the
first of two red-flag stop-
pages.
Hamlin raced to his
44th Cup victory, tying
him with childhood hero
Bill Elliott on the career
list. He also earned the
automatic berth into the
next round of the play-
offs, joining Kurt Busch,
winner last week at home
track Las Vegas but one
of six playoff drivers that
failed to reach the finish
at Talladega.
“You’re on top one
week with a win and ev-
erything’s fantastic,”
Busch said. “And then
this week we’re here at
Talladega ... and next
thing you know, I’m go-
ing for one of the wildest
rides I’ve ever been in.”
An hour after the fin-
ish, NASCAR rescinded
a penalty on Chase El-
liott, which moved him
up to fifth in the final
running order — the
highest of the playoff
drivers behind Hamlin.
Austin Dillon was the
next highest-finishing
playoff driver at 12th.
Four of 12 drivers will
be eliminated next week
at The Roval at Charlotte
Motor Speedway. The
bottom four in the stand-
ings are Kyle Busch,
Clint Bowyer, Aric Almi-
rola and Dillon.
Almirola was wrecked
while leading near the
end of the first stage,
and Bowyer triggered
the 13-car crash in
which Kurt Busch went
airborne. The wall was
damaged in that crash
which brought out the
first red flag for repairs.
The second red flag
stopped the second over-
time, right before Elliott
took the lead. At almost
any other track, Elliott
would have taken the
checkered flag before
that accident. But Talla-
dega’s finish line is un-
usually close to Turn 1
and Elliott had not made
it there before a crash
behind him.
He then had to pit
from the lead for fuel
because he didn’t have
enough gas for the addi-
tional, unplanned miles.
Meanwhile, blue-col-
lar fan favorite Matt
DiBenedetto stood dev-
astated on pit road after
a second-place finish.
That was then yanked
away as he was dropped
to 21st after NASCAR
penalized him for forc-
ing William Byron below
the line. DiBenedetto
was initially denied his
first career victory a
year ago by Hamlin the
same week DiBenedetto
learned he was out of a
job.
This defeat came as
DiBenedetto waits and
wonders if his contract
will be extended by
Wood Brothers Racing Sunday’s Cryptoquote:
or if he’ll be one-and-do-
ne and moved aside for
Austin Cindric.
“I feel like this is the
same story a lot of times,
just heartbreak,” he said.
“My wife and I have had
a stressful week again
just with the uncertain-
ty. I mean, that was pure
desperation, but that’s
how I drive every race.”
The final finishing or-
der showed Jones, him-
self looking for a job for
2021, finishing second to
teammate Hamlin for Joe
Gibbs Racing in a 1-2 for
Toyota.
Ty Dillon was third in
a Chevrolet for Germain
Racing, which late last
month sold its charter
to Hamlin for Hamlin
and NBA great Michael
Jordan to start a team
around driver Bubba
Wallace. It was the best
career finish for the ACROSS
team and Dillon used it 1 Flexes
to lobby for a seat next 6 Ask for divine
year. help

Heat
Continued from Page 1B
Games change quick-
ly, and the Lakers had the
lead back with 10:09 left
in the half. Kyle Kuzma’s
three-point play made it
29-28 Lakers, and Alex
Caruso’s 3-pointer gave
the Lakers their biggest
lead of the half at 37-33
to cap what was an 28-11
run.
The Heat answered
with an 11-0 burst to take
the lead back. Davis got
his third foul with 5:28 left
and Miami up by five, but
the Lakers weathered his
absence and went into the
break down just 58-54.
10 Poor sport’s
cry
11 Peruvian
peaks
13 Less polite
halftime. The only other be the biggest margin be- 14 Egypt’s Anwar
TIP-INS player to do all that in a tween first and second in 15 Use a spade
Lakers: Rondo hit 16 Good times
first half this season was the NBA since 2004-05,
a wild layup midway 18 Stretch of
Karl-Anthony Towns for when Steve Nash (1,031)
through the third, cut- Minnesota against Char- years
had 363 more than Ste-
ting from the right wing lotte on Oct. 25. ... Nick 19 One who rips
across the lane, flicking Aquilino, the son of Heat phon Marbury (668). through pages
the ball up with his left 22 Early auto
hand and watching it kiss
neuromuscular thera-
23 Gum flavor Sunday’s answer
pist Vinny Aquilino, per- BUTLER’S TRIPLE-DOUBLE 24 Deadly
off the gray bar atop the formed the anthem -- a re- Butler became the 21st amount señorita
backboard before bounc- cording from a Heat game 27 Ties up 45 Signs a lease 24 Element
player to have a triple-dou-
ing through. ... The Lak- with fans in Miami. 28 Without DOWN 25 Red-faced
ble in the NBA Finals —
ers had 10 turnovers in repairs 1 Flock makeup 26 Reason for
and four of the 21 were 29 Visibility 2 Outfit overtime
the first quarter, match- JAMES’ ASSISTS part of Sunday’s game. lessener 3 Prod into action 27 South African
ing the NBA high for any James had eight assists
team in any first quarter James has a finals-best 30 Pep rally 4 Conk out conflict begun in
Sunday and now has 843, participant
this season. 10 triple-doubles, Rondo 5 Fruit-filled 1899
which is 222 more than 35 Playground
Heat: Butler had 19 has one and so does Lak- pastry 29 Winter ailment
anyone else this season; game
points, six assists, six re- ers assistant coach Jason 6 Out of style 31 Comic tribute
Denver’s Nikola Jokic is 36 Owned by us 7 Gene messen- 32 “Mack the
bounds and two steals by second with 621. That will Kidd. 37 “Exodus” hero ger Knife” singer

Braves
Continued from Page 1B
in being up every single
day. We don’t like days
off. We don’t like to be
down.”
Five of the seven outs
recorded by Smith in the
wild-card series came
on strikeouts. The left-
hander who signed a $40
million, three-year con-
tract with Atlanta in the
offseason was shut down
at the start of the delayed
season following his pos-
itive test for the coronavi-
rus.
After missing the
summer camp before the
shortened season, Smith
was behind schedule
when he joined the active
roster. The two dominant
appearances against the
Reds, when he gave up
no hits or walks, were
the best sign that he has
finally reached his top
form.
“I felt toward the end
of the season I was final-
ly starting to click a little
bit,’ Smith said. ”The past
two outings obviously I
finally felt fully back and
like myself. I don’t know
if it was the situation that
kind of kicked me in gear
or what it was, but it was
nice to be able to be out
there now and get strike
one and strike two and go
from there.”
Snitker said Smith
“has been his best in
the most stressful situa-
tions.”
In a normal season,
Smith might have chal-
lenged Melancon for the
closer’s role, as he did
when the two were team-
mates in San Francisco.
Instead, a healthy Smith
has added length to an al-
ready deep bullpen.
If necessary, Snitker
could have a bullpen
game against the Mar-
lins, following expect-
ed starts by Max Fried,
Ian Anderson and Kyle
Wright. Snitker said he
could use a different re-
liever each inning “and
feel good about all nine
we put out there.”
Josh Tomlin might be
the choice to start if there
is a bullpen game. Tomlin
started five games and
pitched in relief in 12
games this season.
“They haven’t told me
anything,” Tomlin said
Saturday. “For now I’m
just in the bullpen ready
to pitch whenever they
ask me to.”
38 Nebraska city 8 Included Bobby
40 Merchandise 9 Like some 33 Put up
42 Twin of bonuses 34 Gets up
Romulus 12 Kicks off 39 Wheel part
43 Wonderland 17 Old hand 41 Pub drink
Tomlin said the bull- visitor 20 Make blank
pen’s dominant showing 44 Red-ink 21 Friendly
against the Reds “was
one of the best pitching
performances I’ve ever
seen in the postseason.
... The poise they kept
and how they went about
their business was unbe-
lievable.”
NOTES: After not
being needed in the
wild-card series, Wright
pitched in a simulated
game on Friday. ... The
team will fly to Houston
on Sunday. ... With no
off days, it will be more
difficult for the Game 1
starter to pitch again in
the series. Snitker said
it is possible that start-
er, who is expected to be
Fried, could pitch again
on short rest.
4B MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

After COVID scare and little sleep, Saints rally past Lions
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DETROIT — The New Orle-
ans Saints overcame a two-touch-
down deficit to beat Detroit
— and that wasn’t the only chal-
lenge they had to overcome on
short rest Sunday.
Drew Brees threw two touch-
down passes to Tre’Quan Smith
2:19 apart in the second quarter,
helping the short-handed Saints
rally to beat the Lions 35-29.
“Everybody just persevered
and we found a way to get a big
win,” Brees said.
New Orleans (2-2) played af-
ter a short night of sleep, com-
ing off its first two-game losing
streak in three years and start-
ed the game without six injured
starters.
Saints fullback Michael Bur-
ton had a false positive test for
the coronavirus Saturday, lead-
ing to another round of tests for
players and staff overnight in the
Motor City.
“Just a lot of emotions going
on because you never want to
be a distraction,” Burton said.
“They had to wake up other guys
and test them.”
Early in the game at fan-free
Ford Field, the Lions (1-3) looked
as though they might take advan-
tage of facing a tired team with-
out three starters on both sides
of the ball as they led 14-0 lead
4:37 after kickoff.
In the end, Detroit earned
the dubious distinction of being
the first NFL team to lose six
straight games in which it led by
double digits, according to the
Elias Sports Bureau.
The Lions also joined the 2011
Minnesota Vikings as the two
teams in league history to lose
three of their first four games af-
ter leading by at least 10 points.
New Orleans was the latest
team to come back against De-
troit, scoring 35 straight points
from late in the first period to
midway through the third to take
control.
“I’m proud of how we got
ready to play despite some of the
challenges,” Saints coach Sean
Payton said.
Matthew Stafford ended the
Saints’ run with a TD pass to T.J.
Hockenson late in the third quar-
ter. The Lions pulled within six
points with 3:36 left in the fourth
on Adrian Peterson’s 5-yard run
and Hockenson’s 2-point conver-
sion catch.
The Saints took a step toward
sealing the win with Brees con-
verting a third-and-5 from his 27
with a 19-yard pass to Smith.
“That was probably the big-
gest play of the day,” said Smith,
the primary receiver on the play.
“We really needed a first down.
Drew trusted me and I came
down with it.”
And to dash any comeback
hopes Detroit had, Alvin Kamara
ran for 5 yards on a third-and-3
run from midfield.
START STRONG, FINISH WEAK
Stafford capped the opening
drive with a TD pass to D’Andre
Swift. After Brees’ first pass
was deflected and intercepted
on his first snap, Stafford threw
a 15-yard pass to Kenny Golla-
day to give Detroit its third dou-
ble-digit lead that wasn’t large
enough.
The Lions lost a 17-point,
fourth-quarter lead the open-
er against Chicago. In Week 2,
they were ahead by 11 points
against Green Bay before giving
up 31 straight points and losing
an 11th straight game.
Detroit bounced back to beat
Arizona with a game-ending
drive last week, but embattled
coach Matt Patricia fell to 10-25-
1 after his team collapsed again.
Patricia may have a lot of ques-
tions to answer from ownership
during the bye week to keep his
job.
“Let’s just talk about the
Saints game,” Patricia said
when asked if he was concerned
about his job security.
SAINTS STATS
The 41-year-old Brees, with-
out injured receiver Michael
Thomas, spread the ball around
as he found soft spots in zone
coverage. He also had the
benefit of a ground game that
moved the ball easily against
one of the NFL’s worst defenses
against the run.

Comics & Puzzles

DILBERT
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY: place you can his mental abilities? His
I’m 54 and afford in which fixation and insecurities are off
afraid to to live. Upgrade the chart.
tell my spouse your marketable You do not have to tolerate
I want a divorce skills, if neces- his passive aggression. The
even though I’m sary. first thing you need to do is
in an unhappy Remember, talk with his doctor about
marriage. I told your husband what has been going on. Your
him years ago has been through husband may need a physical
that I no longer this before, so and psychological evaluation.
loved him and he is a veteran at Please don’t wait.
didn’t want to be divorce. Before DEAR ABBY: I would like
ZITS married anymore. making ANY more to get some feedback on my
His reply, “I have announcements, soon-to-be-empty nest. Our
enough love for discuss this with last dog is approaching 18
both of us.” an attorney so years old, and I would like
This year you can protect to adopt another cat or dog.
will be our 15th
Dear Abby yourself. My husband wants to wait at
together. I am DEAR ABBY: least a year with no pets in the
spouse No. 3. I think he thinks I’m at a total loss, heartbroken house before possibly consid-
that if there isn’t another and need some advice. My ering getting another animal.
person I’m in love with that husband and I are both over I grew up with pets and can’t
we can continue like this. 60 and have been married for imagine what it would be like
I feel it’s just time for me, 20 years. He has this insane without one. What to do? —
and I’m tired of always being idea that I have a diary. Abby, I ANIMAL LOVER IN FLORIDA
somebody’s something. I have don’t have a diary. I have never DEAR LOVER: With an open
thought of moving out, but had one, and I don’t plan on mind, discuss this further with
GARFIELD money is an issue, and I have ever having one. your husband. You need to
nowhere to go. I hate confron- Short of taking a polygraph understand his reasons for
tations, and he is a good man, test, I can’t convince him to feeling the way he does about
but I am truly beginning to hate believe me. He told me that this. As you already know, a fur
him. Any advice? ­­— MISERA- unless I let him review my dia- baby is a serious responsibil-
BLE IN THE EAST ry, he doesn’t want to be with ity, and when the quarantine
DEAR MISERABLE: Just me anymore! He has complete- ends and things return to
a word of caution: The grass ly stopped communicating with normal, he may want the two
is not always greener on the me. I hurt so bad I can hardly of you to travel. Because you
other side of that fence. How- stand it. — ALL CRIED OUT have had your sweet dog for so
ever, because you feel that DEAR ALL CRIED OUT: many years, slow down. Both
remaining with your husband Your letter is a first. Is your partners should be onboard
is intolerable, begin planning husband losing it? Is he on with the timing for adding a pet
your exit. Line up a job and a medications that have altered to the household.

CANDORVILLE Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Oct.
5). The events of this year
seem designed to help you
be your best by finding your
strength, tapping it and con-
trolling it. You’ll have money to
invest in a person, company or
mission you believe in. You will
not be repaid directly for this,
but it will bring enormous good
fortune and opportunity from
unexpected directions. Scorpio
and Aquarius adore you. Your
BABY BLUES lucky numbers are: 5, 7, 12, 40
and 1.
ARIES (March 21-April
19). What needs to happen will
happen. You won’t have to force
it. You won’t have to arrange
it, invite it, manipulate it or
even think about it at all. It will
naturally go your way today, and
you couldn’t stop it even if you
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
FAMILY CIRCUS
wanted to.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20).
When people are nice to you,
you assume that it’s just the
way they are with everyone. You
don’t typically stop to think,
“What do they want from me?”
although, today, that wouldn’t
be a bad thing to privately
consider.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
Simplicity and economy are
excellent values to uphold in
times of plenty and in times of
want. Regardless of your current
comfort level, knowing that you
are operating without a lot of
waste will feel so good.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
Your intuition is spot-on today.
Not only can you trust your free
associations, first impressions
and gut responses but when
you act on them, you’ll be super
lucky.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22).
When someone is trying to lead
your thoughts in a particular
direction, it’s a dead giveaway
of selfish intent. Those who love
you and want the best for you
will trust your own knowing of
what that is.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
There are many seeds inside
of you. Becoming who you want
to be is a matter of growing the
right ones. Unfortunately, many
seeds look alike, and you won’t
totally know what’s growing until
it does.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
You will put your powers of
imagination to excellent use by
dreaming up a version of your
future in which you are strong
in relationships and you have
everything that’s needed to help
a relationship thrive.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov.
21). If you were to only love
those who love you back, how
limiting life would be! Don’t
be afraid to invest the best of
yourself where it won’t be re-
turned immediately, or possibly
ever. Sacrifice is essential for
spiritual health.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). Don’t even worry about
being original. What you do orig-
inates with you, so how could it
be anything but? Copying those
you admire is part of learning.
You might be surprised at how
differently it comes out, though.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). You give your full attention
to anyone who needs it. The
most telling mark of character is
how a person treats those who
can clearly do nothing for them.
This is always in the back of
your mind.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). Just as you don’t give
much thought to where each
individual raindrop falls, there
are details you don’t bother with
because you accept them as
part of a system. Today, forget
the system. Look closer. Not
every drop is rain.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). Of course you focus better
when you’re interested. There’s
no crime in disinterest either.
Sometimes your ability to hook
into a subject comes down to
scale. Zoom in and out to see if
you can find a sweeter view.

Voiceover
SOLUTION:
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 5B
Classifieds
Employment
Call us: 662-328-2424
Accounting / Finance
WANTED: BOOKKEEPER.
Experience necessary.
Call for details,
662-574-4221
General Help Wanted
POSITION OPENING for a
kennel technician.
Experience with animals is
highly preferred.
We are located in West
Point, MS. Please contact
us for more information at
662-524-4155.
Licensed Cosmetologist
Needed! No booth rent. No
clientele needed. For more
info, call or text 662-312-
8727 or email
haircuts123@yahoo.com
FIELD SERVICES, INC.
in Boligee, AL is seeking
the following positions:
*Hydraulic Mechanics
*Diesel Mechanics
*Heavy Equipment Oilers
*Mill Right Workers
*Electrical Cable Pullers
If interested, please call
205-336-8401.
OFFICE MANAGER needed
for local Construction com-
pany. Job includes man-
aging Pay Roll, QuickBooks,
Spreadsheets, Accounts
Payable & Receivable, Pur-
chasing & Social Media.
Single position in small
business with nice atmo-
sphere. Mail resume to
Blind Box 677 c/o The
Commercial Dispatch
PO Box 511
Columbus MS 39703.
SMALL BUSINESS LOOK-
ING FOR PART TIME MA-
TURE EMPLOYEE. FLEX-
IBLE HOURS. VARIED
SKILLS SUCH AS OFFICE,
CUSTOMER SERVICE,
SALES, STOCKING AND
MANAGING SOCIAL MEDIA.
PAY BASED ON EXPERI-
ENCE. EMAIL RESUME TO
job113@cdispatch.com
NEW, SMALL, fast growing
business looking for skilled
carpenter or laborer. Must
be knowledgeable or will-
ing to learn in all aspects
of carpentry and mainten-
ance. Email resume to
job112@cdispatch.com
Rentals
Ads starting at $25
Apts For Rent: North
MILITARY SQUARE APTS.
Remodeled units 1−4
bedrooms. Military, police
officers, fireman & SSI.
Discounted rates. Come
check us out! Call Joyce for
showing. 662−549−9873.
Have a rental property?
List it here for fast results.
ads.cdispatch.com
Looking for goods
or services?
Find it in classifieds
662-328-2424
Buy. Sell. Discover.
Apts For Rent: North Houses For Rent: North
FOX RUN APARTMENTS HOUSE FOR RENT
1 & 2 BR near hospital. Country living in the city.
$595−$645 monthly. 2br, large bath, kitchen/
Military discount, pet area, dining combo, new paint,
pet friendly, and furnished flooring & appliances.
corporate apts. $650/month plus deposit
24−HOUR PROFESSIONAL & lease. No Pets! No HUD!
GYM. ON SITE SECURITY. 662−549−1884
ON SITE MAINTENANCE.
ON SITE MANAGEMENT.
Mobile Homes for Rent
24−HOUR CAMERA
SURVEILLANCE. Benji & Tue−Fri: 9−5 & Sat: 9−12
Ashleigh, 662−386−4446. 3BR/2BA MH in New Hope. Over 50 years experience!
$650 dep + $650/mo. No
pets, quiet area. Leave full ishing, scopes mounted &
Apts For Rent: West
name & message, zeroed, handmade knives.
205−712−6697.
VIP
Located: Hwy 45 Alt, North
of West Point, turn right on
Rentals
Yokahama Blvd, 8mi & turn
Real Estate
Apartments & Houses
Ads starting at $25
1 Bedrooms
2 Bedroooms Farms & Timberland
3 Bedrooms
BURGESS FARM FOR
Furnished & Unfurnished
SALE. We are accepting
sealed bids for the right to
1, 2, & 3 Baths
purchase 470 +/− acres of
prime Noxubee County
Lease, Deposit
farmland & mobile home
& Credit Check located on Highway 388,
Brooksville, MS up to & not
viceinvestments.com later than Friday, October
327-8555
9, 2020 10:00a.m. The
parcels are 153−18−
001.00, 40 acres & 153−
Apts For Rent: Other 18−001.01, 431.60
acres. The bids will be
opened at 10:00 a.m. at
the office of Ricky Walker,
Attorney−at−Law, 2962
Jefferson Street, Macon,
MS. After all bids are
opened, the top 3 bidders
will have the opportunity to
make a second bid. The
right to reject any & all bids
is reserved. Accepted bid
must be approved by
Probate Court. Send all
bids to Ricky Walker,
Attorney−at−Law, P.O. Box
427, Macon, MS 39341.
For more information call
Judy or Stan Miller,
601−260−7712 or
662−418−8266.
LAMAR CO. AL, 197 Acres.
Good timber. Good hunting.
Road frontage. South of
Millport. $1,325/ac. 205−
BE NEAR IT ALL IN 799−9846 or 205−695−
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN
2248.
COLUMBUS.
2 SPACIOUS
CONDOMINIUMS NOW Lots & Acreage
AVAILABLE − 2BR 2BA
& 1BR 1 1/2 BA RENT 1.75 ACRE LOTS
FROM $1000−$1350 Good/Bad Credit Options.
PER MO. LEASE &
DEP IS REQD., BLDG.
Good credit as low as 20%
down, $499/mo. Eaton
SECURITY @ Land, 662−361−7711.
ENTRANCE, PRIV
PARKING, GRANITE
COUNTER TOPS, PICKENS COUNTY, AL
BEAUTIFUL FLOORING, 180 acres in Liberty
SS APPLIANCES,
WASHER/DRYER,
Community. Good hunting
& road systems. $850/
WATER AND SEWER acre. Other tracks
INCLUDED. available. Call 205−799−
662−251−3367 9846 or 205−695−2248.
COLEMAN Merchandise
RENTALS
TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS
Ads starting at $12
1 BEDROOM
2 BEDROOMS Firewood / Fuel
3 BEDROOMS FIREWOOD FOR SALE.
LEASE, Various lengths.
© The Dispatch
662−295−2274.
DEPOSIT
AND General Merchandise
CREDIT CHECK
FOR SALE: Bistro style
662-329-2323 table w/ chairs, in/out
door. Indoor game table,
seats 8. 2 upholstered
2411 HWY 45 N chairs. Oriental table.
COLUMBUS, MS
Washer & Dryer.
662−251−8499.
ads.cdispatch.com
In the Classifieds section.
On the web: ads.cdispatch.com • Or call: 662-328-2424
Ads appear in The Commercial Dispatch,
The Starkville Dispatch and Online
To place ads starting at only $12,
call 662-328-2424 or visit ads.cdispatch.com
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 n 6B
Lawn & Garden Five Questions:
HAYES DAYLILIES Vehicles Community
1 Richter
$1 Sale.
Oct. 8th−10th. 8a−5p.
Ads starting at $12 Ads starting at $12
Scale
1069 New Hope Rd.,
Columbus.
662−251−6665. Campers & RVs Travel & Entertainment
2 Chevrolet
Sporting Goods
PUBLIC CATFISH POND
ED SANDERS GUNSMITH 130 Hillcrest Dr
Open for season! Catfish contest Oct. 1−
3 North-to-
31. $200 for most
weight. $100 for Big
south route
Repairs, cleaning, refin− Fish. 2 drawings for
$50 valued prizes. Call
numbers are
662−386−8591 for
details.
2007 45 Luxury Newmar
odd, and
Essex Diesel Pusher 30K
east-to-west
miles. Sale price $34,500,
left on Darracott Rd, will
see sign, 2.5mi ahead
Everything works properly PUBLIC CATFISH POND
numbers are
on it. TEXT 2283672671 @ 130 Hillcrest Drive.
shop on left.
662−494−6218. Open Tues−Sat, 7a−5p
even.
662−386−8591
Call for pricing.
GUN SAFE
25Wx25Dx55H It’s a classified
rule-of-thumb:
On wheels. $350 Pets
Call 662−435−1614
4 Mick Jagger
We tell readers PYRIDOODLE PUPPIES
FOR SALE:. 10 weeks old.
what they need 5 Corsica
2M & 2F. Wormed & shots.
$250 ea. 626−590−2584.
to know to buy
Read local. cdispatch.com
Looking for a new home? what they need.
Let us help, shop here.
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Service Directory
Promote your small business starting at only $25
Carpet & Flooring General Services General Services Lawn Care / Landscaping
A & T TREE SERVICES JESSE & BEVERLY’S
Bucket truck & stump LAWN SERVICE
removal. Free est. Mowing, cleanup,
Serving Columbus landscaping, sodding,
since 1987. Senior & tree cutting.
citizen disc. Call Alvin @ 662−356−6525
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