Established 1879 | Columbus, Mississippi
CDISPATCH.COM
Deer processors being overwhelmed
as harvest reaches mid-point
Nancy and Jack Larmour, owners of Fork ‘N Road Deer Processing in Caledonia, say their three coolers are filled to capacity
with approximately 500 deer waiting to be butchered, processed and packaged into as many as 19 products. The Larmours
say they are turning away customers for lack of cooler space this year. “We’re working seven days a week, long hours every
day, and we still can’t keep up,” Nancy said.
BY SLIM SMITH
ssmith@cdispatch.com
Bagging that deer is one thing. Get-
ting it to your kitchen table may be
quite another.
Halfway through the deer season in
Mississippi, deer meat processors are
having a difficult time keeping up with
demand.
“We’ve probably doubled what we
had done at this point last November,”
said Nancy Larmour, who with her hus-
band, Jack, has operated Fork ‘N Road
Deer Processing in Caledonia for 11
years. “We’ve had to stop taking in deer
because of the capacity. We’re working
seven days a week, long hours every
day, and we still can’t keep up. From
Saturday morning until noon Sunday,
Fireworks vendors anticipate high demand for New Year’s
Slade Ferguson, 16,
adjusts a display of
fireworks on sale at
the Orbit Fireworks
tent on Highway 182
just west of Starkville
on Monday. He and
his father, Eric Fergu-
son, have run the tent
around the Fourth of
July and New Year’s
Eve for the past
two years. Demand
increased around the
Fourth of July this
year as the COVID-19
pandemic continued,
Eric Ferguson said,
and New Year’s Eve
sales are currently
on par with last year
but could go up in the
next few days.
WEATHER
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High
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141st Year, No. 248
Tuesday | December 29, 2020
OH, DEER!
we had another 200 deer come in. We’ve
added a cooler, and we have 500 deer
hanging now waiting to be processed.
It will be like that right on through Feb-
ruary.”
It’s much the same story at Wil-
son’s Deer Processing in Pheba, which
serves customers from Oktibbeha and
Clay counties and has a cooler capacity
of 200 deer.
“I can’t remember anything like
this,” owner Christi Wilson said. “We’ve
had deer brought in from as far away as
Corinth. We’ve had to turn people away.
Every processor I know is in the same
predicament.”
Under normal circumstances, it
takes seven to 10 days to have a deer
butchered and processed, depending
Tess Vrbin/Dispatch Staff
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Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff
on what cuts the customer requests. At
Fork ‘N Road, customers can have their
deer processed into 19 different prod-
ucts — everything from burgers and
steaks to jerky and tamales.
Now, the same orders are taking 15
to 20 days, Larmour said, even though
they’ve added staff and now have 14
employees — most of them high school
and college students on winter break —
to try to meet the demand.
It’s much the same for Wilson.
“There’s not much we can do, real-
ly,” Wilson said. “A deer has to hang for
three to four days before we can even
start processing it. In those three to
four days, more and more people are
coming with their deer. So it’s almost
See DEER PROCESSORS, 6A
Fireworks sales could
increase 20 to 30
percent, weather
permitting
BY TESS VRBIN
tvrbin@cdispatch.com
The Orbit Fireworks tent
on Highway 182 just west of
Starkville nearly sold out of
some of its products for the
Fourth of July this year.
Eric Ferguson, who runs
the tent with his 16-year-old
son Slade, said it was clear that
people wanted to get out of their
houses thanks to the ongoing
LOCAL FOLKS
Sallina Schaffer of Starkville likes to get
food with friends.
75 ¢ Newsstand | 40 ¢ Home Delivery
Study: Kids
get virus at
gatherings more
often than school
Study also said the ‘lack
of consistent mask use’
in schools led to some
spread of the virus
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JACKSON — Chil-
dren are more at risk
of contracting the
coronavirus at a so-
cial gathering than
in a classroom or
childcare setting, ac-
cording to a study re-
Hobbs
leased by the Univer-
sity of Mississippi Medical Center.
The study, conducted in partner-
ship with U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, was fea-
tured in the U.S. Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention’s Dec.
18 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report.
Researchers surveyed patients
younger than 18 who had tested
positive for the virus in emergency
departments and outpatient health
facilities during September, Octo-
ber and November.
The study found that compared
with children who tested negative,
those who tested positive were
more likely to have attended gather-
ings and have had visitors at home.
Additionally, parents or guardians
of children who were infected were
less likely to report wearing masks
at those gatherings.
“Household contacts versus a
contact at school appeared to be
more important in a child’s risk
for being infected,” said Dr. Char-
lotte Hobbs, professor of pediatric
infectious diseases at UMMC and
lead author on the study’s findings.
Co-authors include experts from
the University of Mississippi School
of Nursing and the Mississippi State
Department of Health.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul
Byers, who contributed to the re-
search study, said the report high-
lights what health professionals
have seen “played out time and time
again” during the pandemic.
See STUDY, 3A
COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s all about getting out
with your family and having a
good time, since you can’t be
around a whole lot of people
right now,” Ferguson said.
Sales for New Year’s Eve, the
only other holiday that drives
the sale and use of fireworks
both in general and in the Gold-
en Triangle, have been average
so far but are increasing daily,
Orbit owner Deborah Turman
said.
She and Jon Lee, president
of Alabama-based Ninja Fire-
works, agree that people will
want to celebrate the end of a
particularly tough year. Orbit
has eight locations in the area
See FIREWORKS, 6A
PUBLIC
MEETINGS
Dec. 30: Lowndes Coun-
ty Board of Supervisors
meeting, 9 a.m., Lown-
des County Courthouse,
facebook.com/Lown-
desCountyMississippi/
Jan. 4: Lowndes County
Board of Supervisors, 9
a.m., Courthouse, face-
book.com/LowndesCoun-
tyMississippi/
Jan. 5: Columbus City
Council, 5 p.m., Munici-
pal Complex, facebook.
com/CityofColumbusMS/
Jan. 11: Columbus
Municipal School District
Board of Trustees, 6
p.m. Brandon Central
Services
2A TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Fate of Trump’s $2,000 checks

now rests with GOP-led Senate
House Speaker: ‘Republicans have a choice: Vote
for this legislation or vote to deny the American
people the bigger paychecks they need’
BY LISA MASCARO
AND JILL COLVIN
The Associated Press
WA S H I N G T O N
— President Don-
ald Trump’s push for
$2,000 COVID-19 re-
lief checks now rests
with the Senate af-
ter the House voted
overwhelmingly to
meet the president’s Trump
demand to increase the $600 sti-
pends, but Republicans have shown
little interest in boosting spending.
The outcome is highly uncertain
heading into Tuesday’s session.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc-
Connell has declined to publicly ad-
dress how he plans to handle the is-
sue. But Democrats, sharing a rare
priority with Trump, have seized
on the opportunity to force Repub-
licans into a difficult vote of either
backing or defying the outgoing
president.
After bipartisan approval by the
House, Senate Democratic leader
Chuck Schumer warned, “There is
no good reason for Senate Republi-
cans to stand in the way.”
“There’s strong support for
these $2,000 emergency checks
from every corner of the country,”
Schumer said in a statement late
Monday. He called on McConnell to
make sure the Senate helps “meet
the needs of American workers
and families who are crying out for
help.”
The House tally was a stunning
turn of events. Just days ago Re-
publicans blocked Trump’s sudden
demands for bigger checks during
a brief Christmas Eve session as he
defiantly refused to sign the broad-
er COVID-19 aid and year-end
funding bill into law.
As Trump spent days fuming
from his private club in Florida,
where he is spending the holidays,
dozens of Republicans calculated it
was better to link with Democrats
to increase the pandemic stipend
rather than buck the outgoing pres-
ident and constituents counting on
the money. Democrats led passage,
275-134, but 44 Republicans joined
almost all Democrats in approval.
Senators were set to return to
session Tuesday amid similar, stark
GOP divisions between those who
align with Trump’s populist in-
stincts and others who adhere to
what had been more traditional con-
servative views against government
spending. Congress had settled on
smaller $600 payments in a compro-
mise over the big year-end relief bill
Trump reluctantly signed into law.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi de-
clared, “Republicans have a choice:
Vote for this legislation or vote to
deny the American people the big-
ger paychecks they need.”
The showdown could end up
as more symbol than substance
if Trump’s effort fizzles out in the
Senate.
The legislative action during the
rare holiday week session may do
little to change the $2 trillion-plus
COVID-19 relief and federal spend-
ing package Trump signed into law
Sunday, one of the biggest bills of
its kind providing relief for millions
of Americans.

House votes to override Trump’s veto of defense bill

Bill affirms 3 percent pay raises for U.S. troops and authoriz-
es more than $740 billion
Senate Armed Services
Committee, called the
troops, authorizes more than $740B in military programs and
construction.
bill “absolutely vital to
our national security and
in military programs and construction House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi, D-Calif., said after
our troops,’’ adding, “Our
men and women who vol-
BY MAT THEW DALY also needs to approve it by the vote that the House unteer to wear the uni-
The Associated Press a two-thirds majority. had done its part to en- form shouldn’t be denied
Trump rejected the de- sure the NDAA becomes what they need — ever.”
WASHINGTON — law “despite the presi- Trump has succeeded
fense bill last week, saying
The Democratic-con- dent’s dangerous sabo- throughout his four-year
it failed to limit social me-
trolled House voted tage efforts.’’ term in enforcing party
dia companies he claims
overwhelmingly to over- Trump’s “reckless veto discipline in Congress,
were biased against him
ride President Donald would have denied our with few Republicans
Trump’s veto of a defense during his failed reelec-
service members haz- willing to publicly oppose
policy bill, setting the tion campaign. Trump
ard-duty pay,’’ removed him. The bipartisan vote
stage for what would be also opposes language
key protections for global on the widely popular de-
the first veto override of that allows for the renam- peace and security and fense bill showed the lim-
his presidency. ing of military bases that “undermined our nation’s its of Trump’s influence in
House members voted honor Confederate lead- values and work to com- the final weeks before he
322-87 on Monday to over- ers. bat racism, by blocking leaves office, and came
ride the veto, well above The defense bill, overwhelmingly biparti- minutes after 130 House
the two-thirds needed known as the National san action to rename mil- Republicans voted against
to override. The Senate, Defense Authorization itary bases,’’ Pelosi said. a Trump-supported plan
which is expected to vote Act, or NDAA, affirms Sen. Jim Inhofe, to increase COVID-19 re-
on the override this week, 3 percent pay raises for R-Okla., chairman of the lief checks to $2,000.

Biden warns of Trump officials’ ‘roadblocks’ to transition

BY ALEXANDRA JAFFE
The Associated Press
WILM-
INGT ON,
Del. — Pres-
ide nt - ele c t
Joe Biden
is warning
of massive
d a m a g e
done to the Biden
national security appara-
tus by the Trump adminis-
tration and “roadblocks” in
communication between
agency officials and his
transition team that could
undermine Americans’ se-
curity.
During remarks Mon-
day in Wilmington, Dela-
ware, Biden said his team
has faced “obstruction”
from the “political leader-
ship” at the Defense De-
partment and the Office of
Management and Budget
as they’ve sought to gather
necessary information to
continue the transition of
power.
“Right now we just ar-
en’t getting all the informa-
tion that we need from the
outgoing administration in
key national security ar-
eas. It’s nothing short, in
my view, of irresponsibili-
ty,” Biden said.
He warned that his
team needs “full visibility”
into the budget process at
the Defense Department
“in order to avoid any win-
dow of confusion or catch-
up that our adversaries
may try to exploit.” He also
said they need “a clear pic-
ture of our force posture
around the world and of
our operations to deter our
enemies.”
Biden’s remarks came
after he was briefed by
members of his national se-
curity and defense teams
and advisers, including his
nominees for secretary of
State, Defense and Home-
land Security, as well as
his incoming national se-
curity adviser. The pres-
ident-elect said his team
found that agencies “criti-
cal to our security have in-
curred enormous damage”
during President Donald
Trump’s time in office.
“Many of them have
been hollowed out in per-
sonnel, capacity and in
morale,” he said. “All of
it makes it harder for our
government to protect the
American people, to de-
fend our vital interests in
a world where threats are
constantly evolving and
our adversaries are con-
stantly adapting.”
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 3A

Mississippi defends initiatives Nashville bomber

in medical marijuana lawsuit left hints of trouble,
Madison mayor filed the lawsuit opposing Initiative
65 because it limits cities’ ability to regulate the
location of medical marijuana businesses
BY EMILY WAGSTER PET TUS
The Associated Press
JACKSON — A mayor’s lawsuit
is making baseless arguments as it
seeks to overturn a medical mari-
juana initiative that Mississippi vot-
ers approved, state attorneys said
in court papers filed Monday.
Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins
Butler filed the lawsuit in late Oc-
tober. She opposed Initiative 65
because it limits cities’ ability to
regulate the location of medical
marijuana businesses.
Voters on Nov. 3 approved Ini-
tiative 65 by a wide margin, but the
court fight continues.
The attorney general’s office
filed arguments Monday on behalf
of Secretary of State Michael Wat-
son, attacking the premise of But-
ler’s lawsuit. Butler argues that the
initiative process in the Mississippi
Constitution is outdated because
it requires petitioners to gather an
equal number of signatures from
five congressional districts.
Mississippi dropped from five
congressional districts to four after
the 2000 Census. Butler argues that
this creates a mathematical impos-
sibility: With four districts, more
than one-fifth of the signatures
must come from each.
State attorneys argued Monday
that Mississippi law still mentions
the state having five congressional
districts.
Partisan fighting in the Leg-
islature stalled congressional re-
districting in the early 2000s, and
the lines ended up being drawn by
federal judges. State attorneys said
in court papers Monday that legis-
lators never updated state laws to
reflect four congressional districts
instead of five.
“As a result, four congressional
districts exist in Mississippi under
a federal injunction for congressio-
nal elections, but five congressio-
nal districts exist under state law
and may be used for anything but
congressional elections,” the state
attorneys wrote.
The Mississippi attorney gener-
al’s office issued a legal opinion in
2009 saying that initiative sponsors
should collect signatures from the
five congressional districts used
in the 1990s. In September 2019,
then-Secretary of State Delbert
Hosemann said the medical mar-
ijuana initiative qualified for the
ballot because petition sponsors
had enough signatures from each
of those five districts.
In a Dec. 8 filing with the Mis-
sissippi Supreme Court, Butler’s at-
torneys said legislators have known
for years about the problem in the
initiative process but have killed
multiple proposals to fix it. The at-
torneys said the secretary of state
should not have relied on an attor-
ney general’s opinion about signa-
tures coming from the five outdated
districts. They argued that doing so
amounted to one executive-branch
agency listening to another, when
decisions should be made by the
legislative branch.
Butler is a Republican, as are At-
torney General Lynn Fitch, Watson
and Hosemann.
Initiative 65 specifies that the
state Health Department has until
mid-2021 to establish rules for a
medical marijuana program.
The Health Department, the
Mississippi Municipal League
and some others have filed briefs
supporting Butler’s lawsuit. The
Health Department argued that
Initiative 65 seeks to transform
the department “into something it
is not,” even as the department is
stretched because of the coronavi-
rus pandemic.
“Rather than allowing the agen-
cy to focus its resources entirely
on public health, it requires MSDH
to get in the business of appropria-
tions, agriculture, packaging and
transport, advertising, marketing
and penalty schemes — just to
name a few,” wrote attorneys repre-
senting the Health Department.
but motive elusive
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In the days before he det-
onated a bomb in downtown Nashville on Christmas,
Anthony Quinn Warner changed his life in ways that
suggest he never intended to survive the blast that
killed him and wounded three other people.
Warner, 63, gave away his car, telling the recipi-
ent that he had cancer. A month before the bombing,
he signed a document that transferred his longtime
home in a Nashville suburb to a California woman
for nothing in return. The computer consultant told
an employer that he was retiring.
But he didn’t leave behind a clear digital footprint
or any other obvious clues to explain why he set off
the explosion in his parked recreational vehicle or
played a message warning people to flee before it
damaged dozens of buildings and knocked out cell-
phone service in the area.
While investigators tried to piece together a
possible motive for the attack, a neighbor recalled
a recent conversation with Warner that seemed om-
inous only in hindsight.
Rick Laude told The Associated Press on Mon-
day that he saw Warner standing at his mailbox less
than a week before Christmas and pulled over in his
car to talk. After asking how Warner’s elderly moth-
er was doing, Laude said he casually asked him, “Is
Santa going to bring you anything good for Christ-
mas?”
Warner smiled and said, “Oh, yeah, Nashville
and the world is never going to forget me,” Laude
recalled.
Laude said he didn’t think much of the remark
and thought Warner only meant that “something
good” was going to happen for him financially. He
was speechless when he learned that authorities
had identified Warner as the bomber.
“Nothing about this guy raised any red flags,”
Laude said.
As investigators continued to search for a motive,
body camera video released late Monday by Nash-
ville police offered more insight to the moments
leading up to the explosion and its aftermath.

Teen makes ‘hugging booths’ for nursing homes amid pandemic
17-year-old’s Eagle Scout project allows
families to embrace loved ones safely
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
YAZOO CITY — A
Mississippi 17-year-old
created “hugging booths”
for a local assisted living
home as part of an Eagle
Scout project so that fam-
ilies can embrace loved
ones safely during the
coronavirus pandemic.
Cooper Williams of
Madison County told
WLBT-TV that after see-
ing so many families
that had to be separated
because of the virus, he
wanted to do something
to help.
Hugging booths are
structures made with a
plastic sheet with arm-
holes loved ones can use
to embrace. Williams
built each booth himself.
One booth was donat-
ed to each building within
Martha Coker Senior Ser-
vices in Yazoo City. Fam-
ily members can book an
appointment to use them.
Since the start of the
pandemic, those who
have family members at
the facility could only
have window visits with
their loved ones.
Earlier this month,
families had a chance to
try the booths for the first
time.
Gale Hilderbrand said
it was the first time in
eight months she had
hugged her mother.
“We’ve been looking
for this and been begging
for it for a long time,” Hil-
The recording from Officer Michael Sipos’ cam-
era captures officers walking past the RV parked
across the street as the recorded warning blares and
derbrand said. “That’s
mama. I’m her baby girl
then helping people evacuate after the thunderous
blast off camera. Car alarms and sirens wail as a
so that’s special, that police dispatch voice calls for all available person-
means a whole lot.” nel and people stumble through downtown streets
Resident Kathleen littered with glass.
Griffin began crying with
joy when she had the
chance to see and hold
her youngest son.
Stayce Allen, life en-
richment director at
Martha Coker Senior
Services, said seeing res-
idents use the booths was
“moving” and “uplifting”
during a time that has
been difficult for many
families.

Former Mississippi lawmaker dies with COVID-19 complications

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
JACKSON — A former
Mississippi lawmaker
died Monday after being
hospitalized with pneu-
monia from COVID-19,
his wife said.
Nolan Mettetal was 75.
Kay Mettetal said in
a Facebook post Dec. 23
that her husband was “in
the hospital in Oxford
fighting with COVID
pneumonia in both lungs.”
She posted Monday that
had died.
Nolan Mettetal was a
pharmacist from Sardis.
He was in the Mississip-
pi Senate from January
1996 to January 2012,
then served eight years in
the House in a district in-
cludes parts of Lafayette,
Panola and Tallahatchie
counties. He was chair-
man of the House Univer-
sities and Colleges Com-
mittee.
He did not seek re-elec-
tion in 2019, saying that
he and his wife wanted
to spend more time with
their family. Kay Mettetal
was frequently at the
Capitol with her husband
during legislative ses-
sions.
Nolan Mettetal was
first elected as a Demo-
crat and became a Repub-
lican in early 2008. He
switched parties months
after narrowly winning a
Democratic primary and
then defeating a Repub-
lican in the general elec-
tion.
Republican Lt. Gov.
Delbert Hosemann said
Monday on Twitter: “No-
lan provided leadership
for over 2 decades not
only on policy, but also
on personal character/
statesmanship.”

AROUND THE STATE

2 killed and baby injured in car-train
crash in Mississippi
HAT TIESBURG — Two adults were
killed and a baby was injured in a colli-
sion between a car and an Amtrak train
in Mississippi.
Hattiesburg Police Department
spokesman Ryan Moore said the acci-
dent happened Saturday night. Those
killed or injured were in the Nissan Al-
tima. The baby was taken to a local hos-
pital.
Forrest County deputy coroner Lisa
Klem told the Hattiesburg American on
Monday that those killed were 21-year-
old Adrian Cox and 19-year-old and Lex-
iana Gholar. Both lived in Hattiesburg.
Information about the baby’s condi-
tion was not immediately available.

Study
Continued from Page 1A
“It is imperative that we
arm parents and families
with the information need-
ed to prevent infection in
themselves and their chil-
dren,” Byers said.
The study also said
is essential to keeping the virus as of Sunday eve-
state’s schools and daycar- ning. The department also SOLUNAR TABLE
es open. reported 28 new deaths, The solunar period indicates
peak-feeding times for fish and game.
Tue. Wed.
“We all know the vital saying that 25 of them Major 12:13a 1:06a
nature of school for our occurred between Nov. Minor
Major
6:09p
12:40p
7:03p
1:34p
children developmentally, 12 and Dec. 20 and infor- Minor 8:08a 9:03a
Courtesy of Mississippi Department
academically and social- mation was obtained later of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

that the “lack of consistent
mask use” in schools led to
some spread of the virus.
Hobbs said protecting
children from becoming
infected with coronavirus
If you don’t read The Dispatch, how are you gonna know?
ly,” she said.
The state Health De-
partment reported Mon-
day that Mississippi had
1,701 new confirmed cases
of the highly contagious
The Dispatch
from death certificates.
The state has reported
208,089 cases of the virus
and 4,634 deaths from it The Commercial Dispatch (USPS 142-320)
since the start of the pan- Published daily except Saturday. Answers to common questions:
Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
demic. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, MS Phone: 662-328-2424
POSTMASTER, Send address changes to:
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516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39703
Opinion
4A TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020
PETER BIRNEY IMES Editor/Publisher
BIRNEY IMES III Editor/Publisher 1998-2018
BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003

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

ZACK PLAIR, Managing Editor

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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Points out China’s growing
strength during pandemic
In his recent letter to the editor,
Ghanshyam D. Heda hopes for more
information out of China where the
virus is claimed have originated. But
now, it is very surprising that China is
no more in the news when it comes to
this virus.
China has largely brought the
coronavirus under control with no
vaccinations.
Unlike our President, who from the
beginning declared the virus to be a
“hoax” created by the Democrats to
hurt him in the election, the speed
of China’s response was the factor in
their successful control of COVID-19.
Wuhan was put under strict
lockdown for 76 days. Soon, similar
measures were implemented in every
city in Hubei province. Fourteen-thou-
sand health checkpoints were set up
at transportation hubs. Within weeks, BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
9 million people were tested in Wuhan

A controversial nominee for some, Biden’s HHS pick

alone. Other countries delayed their
response, like the U.S. and Trump,
and that meant they lost control.
China readily adopted mask wear-
ing, and compliance was very high.
Even in September, our president
treated Joe Biden wearing of a mask
as a weakness to be ridiculed.
Profits at China’s industrial firms
grew robustly in November for the sev-
enth straight month. Because China
brought the virus under control, the
economists claim it will shorten the
time that China’s economy becomes
bigger than the U.S.’s by five years.
There’s so much demand for contain-
ers to ship products from China to the
U.S., that some companies are send-
ing empty boxes back to Asia.
In the U.S., the only way we can
keep capitalism from crashing is to
practice socialism with money we
don’t have.
And we all remember in the pri-
mary Trump saying China was eating
our lunch, because Bush and Obama
didn’t know how to negotiate with
China, that he and his “art of the deal”
would change that.
After four years of Trump, our
deficit with China is the largest it
has been in 14 years. Now we know
Trump’s art of the deal was all talk
and no substance, just like the election
fraud: all talk and no proof.
Since Trump can’t beat China eco-
nomically, it seems he wants to hold
them accountable by going to war with
them, which would be even worse.
China is a no-win for Trump.
James Hodges
Steens
A letter to the editor is an excellent
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length be limited to 450 words. We
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or mailed to The Dispatch, Attn: Letters
to the Editor, PO Box 511, Columbus,
MS 39703-0511.
offers a promising path forward for all Americans
Because bible-pound-
ing has become a favored
tactic of politicians, it
was only a matter of time
before one of the cabinet
choices of the incoming
Biden administration
would set off screeds of
fire and brimstone.
California Attorney
General Xavier Becerra
has become the target.
Becerra has been nom- Mary Sanchez
inated to be the Secretary
of Health and Human Services, a cru-
cial role not only because of the pan-
demic, but because president-elect Joe
Biden will be focused on preserving
and hopefully improving Obamacare,
the Affordable Care Act.
Becerra, a Catholic, faces the
gauntlet of the finger-pointers, those
who question another’s sanctity, the
fitness of their soul.
It’s due to abortion, Becerra’s role
in defending Obamacare and his
support for the original exemptions it
offered to religious non-profits regard- tholicism on health care in America,
ing mandates to provide coverage for
contraception, versus the far broader
ones demanded in lawsuits.
The Federalist headline on the
pick: “Declaring War on Nuns, Biden
to Nominate Becerra for HHS Secre-
tary.”
That’s a nod to the lawsuit Becerra
participated in involving the Little Sis- been so many political battles over
ters of the Poor, which was among the
nonprofits that challenged the Obama
administration and won in court.
The Washington Examiner lead
with “Xavier Becerra for HHS Means
Biden is Dead Serious About Sticking
It to Religious Freedom.”
Others called him “aggressively
pro-abortion.”
Upon the announcement, Becerra
tweeted:
“In Congress, I helped
pass the Affordable Care
Act. As California’s Attor-
ney General, I defended
it. As Secretary of Health
and Human Services, I will
build on our progress and
ensure every American has
access to quality, affordable
health care - through this
pandemic and beyond.”
The point at the end of
the statement drew some
better angels to stand up on Becerra’s
behalf.
Catholic Health Association issued
their support, in statements and in
follow-up comments.
CHA noted that Becerra “has been
a strong partner with CHA in de-
fending the Affordable Care Act and
for advocating for greater access to
quality, affordable health care cover-
age for everyone, particularly the most
vulnerable.”
Given the massive imprint of Ca-
the statement is noteworthy. One in
every seven U.S. patients is cared for
in a Catholic hospital, according to the
Association.
Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, President
and CEO of the Association defined
the support for Becerra to the National
Catholic Reporter saying, “There have
the course of the past four years that
we really have not advanced much in
the area of health care. We know that
no individual will have all of the same
policy positions that we might have,
but we have to find common ground.”
She’s right.
COVID-19 has morbidly showcased
the flaws of our current health care
systems, in particular lower income
people’s lack of access. African Ameri-
cans and Latinos are disproportionate-
ly dying.
We need to fight for healthcare,
for the nation as a whole, even if that
means setting aside personal beliefs.
Raised Roman Catholic, I was in-
fluenced by my mother who struggled
with multiple miscarriages and came
to Catholicism through her marriage
to my father. As she aged, began to in-
telligently analyze the faith’s practical
and impractical impact on families.
She knew that some were highly
stressed financially and emotionally
by having large families. There were
also the medical risks of repeated
pregnancies, particularly if the births
came later in the life of the mother.
She failed to see how preventing a
pregnancy through contraception was
anywhere near the same as ending a
life by abortion.
I believe this as well.
The majority of Catholics in the na-
tion, as evidenced in repeated polling
by many different entities, share simi-
lar beliefs. Is this the often-mentioned
cafeteria Catholic in action?
Absolutely, it is choosing which of
the faith’s many rules coincide with
personal feelings.
But my mother also revered the
work of Little Sisters of the Poor and
wanted any donations to charity upon
her death to be received by them, a
request that was granted.
To some, that might seem a contra-
diction. I think it’s honoring sacred
work.
It’s in that spirit and the hope for a
healthier and more co-existing United
States that the support for Becerra’s
nomination is well-placed.
Readers can reach Mary Sanchez at
msanchezcolumn@gmail.com and fol-
low her on Twitter @msanchezcolumn.

THE NATION
2020: America’s wake-up call
Who could have
predicted how
dreadful a year 2020
would be.
By this New
Year’s Eve, 19
million to 20 million
Americans will have
contracted a deadly
virus in a pandemic
that exploded out of
China to carry off
333,000 Americans, Patrick J. Buchanan again, with the
one of every 1,000
of us.
As 2021 begins, Americans
will be dying at the rate of
10,000 a week and contracting
the virus at a rate of more than
1 million new cases a week.
Yet, during that same year,
miracles occurred. Vaccines
were created, tested and
mass-produced by Pfizer and
Moderna that could, with 95%
effectiveness, stop this virus
cold.
If Americans can reach
“herd immunity” — from
having caught and survived the would die, and his death would
virus or having been vaccinat-
ed against it — the COVID-19
pandemic might be contained
by the summer of 2021.
Economically, the pandemic
caused the worst crash since
the Great Depression with
scores of thousands of schools
closed and emp-
ty, and scores of
thousands of stores,
bars and restaurants
shuttered, many
never to open again.
Yet, in the same
year, the Dow Jones
Industrial Average
broke every record,
crossing the 30,000
mark, again and
NASDAQ and S&P
500 reaching new highs.
Thus, as tens of millions of
Americans saw their savings
wiped out and had trouble mak-
ing rent payments and feeding
their families, some investors
saw their stock portfolios surge.
Yes, Virginia, there are two
Americas.
On Memorial Day weekend,
a white police officer in Minne-
apolis was taped kneeling for
nine minutes on the neck of a
Black suspect.
Hours later, George Floyd
trigger protests against police
brutality that quickly degen-
erated into radical and racial
rioting unseen since the 1960s.
The arson, looting and
attacks on police caused a
backlash that spread across the
country when the demands of
antifa and Black Lives Matter
suddenly became, “Defund the
Police!” That anti-cop slogan
did for law enforcement reform
what rioters’ cries of “Burn,
baby, burn!” did for the civil
rights movement in the ‘60s.
By the time the fires burned
out, Middle America was
recoiling against the left for
indulging the anarchists and
denouncing Democratic leaders
who refused to condemn the
rioting.
Still, despite the pandemic,
the third of a million dead,
the crash and the seemingly
endless riots, President Donald
Trump won 74 million votes, the
largest total of any president in
history. And he held the Senate
for the Republicans and added
more than a dozen seats in the
House.
Yet, Joe Biden, who would be
crushed in the Iowa caucuses
and New Hampshire primary
and lose Nevada to Bernie
Sanders, would be rescued by a
massive Black turnout in South
Carolina. Revived, he would go
on to win the Democratic nomi-
nation on the first ballot.
Sheltering in his basement
through the fall, Biden would
run up a 7 million-vote victory
over Donald Trump, though his
verbal and mental deterioration
was almost painfully obvious in
his few public appearances.
Another wake-up call to
how polarized we are came
with an orgy of icon-smashing
of statues and monuments,
from Columbus to presidents
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln,
Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow
Wilson.
A large slice of America’s
academic and intellectual elite
detests the men who created
and built the country America
has become. Not a positive
omen for those who believe
America has done great things,
greater than any nation, and
can do them again.
As America was shaken by
its vulnerability to a pandemic,
the U.S. saw its warships and
warplanes challenged in the
South and East China Seas
and Taiwan Strait by a China,
which, admonished to allow
greater democracy in Hong
Kong, proceeded to extinguish
the existing democracy there.
And the world and the West did
nothing.
Revelations that China was
running concentration camps in
its interior to “reeducate” Mus-
lim Uighurs in what it means to
be a patriot in a nation dominat-
ed by Han Chinese and ruled by
the Chinese Communist Party
evoked only verbal protests.
By year’s end, it was not
America warning China but
Beijing warning America that
manifestations of political or
military solidarity with Taiwan,
and arms sales to the island,
would constitute interference in
the internal affairs of China —
as Taiwan belongs to China.
Suddenly, a great awaken-
ing about the character of the
regime we have pampered with
investment and trade for three
decades appeared stark.
Unable to stand up to a
China in which they invested so
many hopes, the American es-
tablishment turns to Russia — a
nation with one-tenth China’s
population and one-tenth of its
economy, and no army or navy
to match Beijing’s — as its
adversary of choice.
But while President Vladimir
Putin may fulfill well the role
of villain, his principal foreign
intervention in 2020 was to play
the role of peacemaker in the
South Caucasus’ war between
Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Patrick J. Buchanan, a
nationally syndicated columnist,
was a senior advisor to presi-
dents Richard Nixon, Gerald
Ford and Ronald Reagan. His
website is http://buchanan.org/
blog.
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 5A

More COVID-19 vaccines in the pipeline as US effort ramps up

The Trump administration’s Operation Warp
Speed expects to have shipped 20 million
doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to
states by the beginning of January
BY LAURAN NEERGA ARD
AP Medical Writer
A huge U.S. study of anoth-
er COVID-19 vaccine candidate
got underway Monday as states
continue to roll out scarce sup-
plies of the first shots to a na-
tion anxiously awaiting relief
from the catastrophic outbreak.
Public health experts say
more options in addition to the
two vaccines now being dis-
pensed — one made by Pfizer
and its German partner BioN-
Tech, the other by Moderna —
are critical to amassing enough
shots for the country and the
world.
The candidate made by
Novavax Inc. is the fifth to
reach final-stage testing in the
United States. Some 30,000 vol-
unteers are needed to prove if
the shot — a different kind than
its Pfizer and Moderna compet-
itors — really works and is safe.
“If you want to have enough
vaccine to vaccinate all the peo-
ple in the U.S. who you’d like to
vaccinate — up to 85 percent or
more of the population — you’re
going to need more than two
companies,” Dr. Anthony Fauci,
the top U.S. infectious disease
expert, told The Associated
Press on Monday.
The coronavirus is blamed
for about 1.8 million deaths
worldwide, including more
than 330,000 in the U.S. This
has been the deadliest month
of the outbreak in the U.S. yet,
with about 65,000 deaths in De-
cember so far, according to the
COVID Tracking Project. The
nation has repeatedly recorded
more than 3,000 dead per day
Will COVID-19 vaccines work on the new coronavirus variant?
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS the U.S. also will do tests to be sure.
Will COVID-19 vaccines work on the new
Viruses often undergo small changes as they
reproduce and move through a population. In
coronavirus variant? fact, the slight modifications are how scientists
Experts believe so, but they’re working to track the spread of a virus from one place to an-
confirm that. other.
A coronavirus variant in the United Kingdom But if a virus mutates significantly enough,
has caused alarm because of the possibility that one worry is that current vaccines might no
it might spread more easily. But even if that longer offer as much protection. And although
turns out to be true, experts say the COVID-19 that’s a possibility to watch for over time with
vaccines being rolled out will likely still work on the coronavirus, experts say they don’t believe it
the variant. will be the case with the variant in the U.K.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious dis- “My expectation is, this will not be a problem,”
ease expert, said data coming from Britain indi- said Moncef Slaoui, the chief science adviser for
cates the vaccines still will block the virus. But the U.S. government’s COVID-19 vaccine push.
over the past few weeks. es of the Pfizer and Moderna more than 2.1 million vaccina-
And the U.S. could be facing vaccines to states by the be- tions out of 11.4 million dos-
a terrible winter: Despite warn- ginning of January, fewer than es shipped — but the agency
ings to stay home and avoid oth- originally estimated to the knows that count is outdated. It
ers over Christmastime, nearly frustration of states and health can take days for reports from
1.3 million people went through officials trying to schedule the vaccine providers to trickle in
the nation’s airports on Sunday, shots. and get added to the site.
the highest one-day total since There is no real-time track- “Just because a vaccine ar-
the crisis took hold in the U.S. ing of how quickly people are rives doesn’t mean we can put
nine months ago. getting the first of the two re- an on-the-spot clinic up and
The Trump administration’s quired doses. As of Monday, running,” said Jenny Barta, a
Operation Warp Speed expects the Centers for Disease Control public health official in Carlton
to have shipped 20 million dos- and Prevention had reports of County, Minnesota.

Ohio police officer fired in fatal shooting of Black man Mormon church sued for alleged
‘The evidence provided solid rationale shooting of Andre Hill is a Quinlan expedited role in Boy Scouts sex abuse
tragedy for all who loved the investigation and by- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
for termination. Mr. Coy will now have him in addition to the
community and our Divi-
passed procedure to file
two departmental charges PHOENIX — The Church of Jesus Christ of
to answer to the state investigators sion of Police.” alleging critical miscon- Latter-day Saints was hit with several lawsuits
Coy remains under duct against Coy in the Monday for allegedly covering up decades of
for the death of Andre Hill.’ criminal investigation for death of Hill. sexual abuse among Boy Scout troops in Ar-
Columubus, Ohio, Police Chief Thomas Quinlan last week’s shooting. “This is what account- izona, marking the latest litigation before the
The decision came ability looks like. The state’s end-of-year deadline for adult victims to
BY FARNOUSH AMIRI Columbus police offi- after Pettus concluded evidence provided solid sue.
Report for America/The cer Adam Coy was fired a hearing to determine rationale for termination,” The church “must be held accountable in
Associated Press hours after a hearing was whether the actions tak- Quinlan said after Coy’s order to bring healing and closure to Mormon
held to determine his em- en by Coy in the moments termination Monday af- victims of childhood sexual abuse,” Hurley
COLUMBUS, Ohio ployment, Columbus Pub- before and after the fatal ternoon. “Mr. Coy will McKenna & Mertz, a law firm that focuses on
— A white Ohio police lic Safety Director Ned shooting of Hill on Tues- now have to answer to the church sex abuse, said in a statement.
officer was fired Monday Pettus Jr. said in a state- day were justified. The state investigators for the In the seven lawsuits each representing sev-
after bodycam footage ment. public safety director up- death of Andre Hill.” en different male victims, attorneys say church
showed him fatally shoot- “The actions of Adam held the recommendation Members of the local officials never notified authorities about abuse
ing 47-year-old Andre Hill Coy do not live up to the of Police Chief Thomas Fraternal Order of Police allegations. Public records show members of
— a Black man who was oath of a Columbus Police Quinlan, who made a vid- attended the hearing on church-sponsored Boy Scout troops who were
holding a cellphone — officer, or the standards eo statement Christmas behalf of Coy, who was not abused would tell church bishops about what
and failing to administer we, and the community, Eve, saying he had seen in attendance, according they had experienced. The lawsuits allege bish-
first aid for several min- demand of our officers,” enough to recommend to a statement from Pet- ops would then tell the victims to keep quiet so
utes. the statement read. “The Coy be terminated. tus’ office. the church could conduct its own investigation.
6A TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Health
HEALTH TIP
n Get sunlight every day: Vitamin D is one of the most important nutrients for overall health, and sunlight is
one of our best sources of it. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day—preferably in the afternoon. Not
much sunlight in the winter where you live? It might be worth supplementing with a vitamin D supplement and/or
other food sources of this essential nutrient.
Source: https://fourwellness.co

Health tips from Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen

Reducing your risk for Type 2
diabetes one bite at a time
In the 1984 comedy
“Splash,” Madison, a mermaid
played by Daryl Hannah, finds
herself at a fancy restaurant
on a date. She’s literally a
half-fish out of water, but when
a steamed lobster arrives on
her plate, she gleefully picks it
up and takes a bite out of the
crustacean.
Mermaids shouldn’t be the
only females excited about
dining on this staple of the
Mediterranean diet, which also
consists of omega-3 rich fish
like anchovies and sardines,
fruits, vegetables, legumes,
whole grains, nuts and olive oil.
A new study, published in
JAMA Network Open, looked
at more than 25,000 women
who were followed for over 20
years. The researchers tracked
their cholesterol and lipopro-
tein levels and sity. So next in the next six to 12 months by at a far greater risk of diabetes
signs of insulin time you head getting back to her exercise and associated complications,
resistance. to the grocery routine and eating a healthy from heart woes and stroke to
They found store, make diet. depression and dementia.
that women up a shopping That’s fortunate, because So if you’ve gained weight
on a Med- list without red a new study shows the longer during the pandemic or typical-
style diet had and processed you’re overweight, the more ly gain weight in the winter-
lower levels of meats, eggs, damage you do to your car- time, make a commitment to
inflammation, full-fat dairy diovascular and metabolic shed a pound a week. You can
were less likely or highly health — increasing your risk do that by eliminating 500
to be insulin processed of metabolic dysfunction and calories a day from your diet
resistant and foods. Check diabetes. and getting 10,000 steps a day
slashed their Drs. Oz and Roizen out www. The study, published in Plos or the equivalent, plus at least
risk of Type 2 WhenWay.com One, looked at the body mass two days a week of strength
diabetes by 30 for helpful and index, blood pressure and the training. You’ll reduce your
percent. A study published in tasty shopping lists based on cholesterol and glycated hemo- weight and reduce damage to
Diabetes Care found adding Dr. Mike’s book “What to Eat globin (blood sugar) levels of your heart, brain and endo-
more olive oil along with wal- When.” 20,746 participants from age 10 crine system. Now that’s a
nuts and Brazil nuts to a Med- to 40. Researchers found that Happy New Year!
iterranean diet could reduce folks who were obese for five or Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of
the risk of Type 2 diabetes over Taking off new weight fewer years had an A1C (blood “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike
four years by 52 percent. gain is heart smart glucose) level that was just 5 Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness
The Mediterranean diet is Renee Zellweger gained 30 percent higher than folks with Officer and Chair of Wellness
also associated with a lower pounds to play Bridget Jones no years of obesity. But those Institute at Cleveland Clinic.
risk of other chronic illnesses, in 2001, 2004 and 2014! Each who had been obese for 20 to To live your healthiest, tune
such cardiovascular disease, time, after filming ended, she 30 years had a level that was 20 into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit
Alzheimer’s disease and obe- returned to her normal weight percent higher — putting them www.sharecare.com.

Fireworks
Continued from Page 1A
— two near Starkville,
three in Columbus and
one each in West Point,
Louisville and Macon —
and Ninja Fireworks has a
location in Columbus.
Both Lee and Turman
said increased demand
for fireworks has driven
prices up, but this has not
deterred customers.
Lee predicts a 20 to 30
percent increase in the
sale and use of fireworks
on New Year’s Eve this
year unless bad weather
gets in the way.
“It’s hard to shoot fire-
works in the rain, and it’s
going to rain on the 31st,”
Lee said. “We might not
see that 30-percent (in-
crease). We might see
a 30-percent drop from
what we normally do.”
Droughts in the sum-
mer also interfere with
sales sometimes if cities
or counties issue a burn
ban, Lee said.
“It’s a very risky busi-
ness to be in because
we’re only open eight
days each season, so it’s
an industry where you’re
only open 16 days a year,
and you’ve got the weath-
er to dance around,” he
said.
The use of fireworks in-
side the city limits of both
Columbus and Starkville
is prohibited. Columbus
has an ordinance making
it illegal, and Starkville
abides by the National
Fire Protection Associa-
tion code.
Starkville also prohib-
its the sale of fireworks
in the city, so Orbit’s two
locations in Oktibbeha
County are just outside
city limits.
The Starkville Fire
Department
is responsi-
ble for issu-
ing a court
summons
to citizens
who use
fireworks in
the city, but McCurdy
Fire Mar-
shal Mark McCurdy said
the vast majority of viola-
tors stop as soon as the
police give them a warn-
ing and no citations are
issued.
“Most people comply
once you tell them, ‘Hey,
you’re not supposed to
shoot fireworks in the
city, please stop,’” Mc-
Curdy said. “It’s very,
very rare that you have
to go through with actual
tickets or a court order.”
Lowndes and Oktib-
beha counties have no
limitations on the use of
fireworks outside the cit-
ies. Oktibbeha County
Sheriff’s Office responds
to calls of apparent shots
fired that are actually just
fireworks every Fourth of
July and New Year’s Eve,
Capt. Brett Watson said,
but he does not expect
an increase in those calls
this week.
Columbus Police De-
partment issued only two
fireworks citations during
the Fourth of July this
year compared to six last
year, Chief Fred Shelton
said, likely because the
city had a curfew at the
time keeping people in-
doors. CPD issued 16 ci-
tations on New Year’s Eve
last year.
Columbus’ fine for the
use of fireworks is $252.
Turman emphasized
following the instructions
on the fireworks package
in order to use them safe-
ly. Lee said people should
be careful to keep chil-
dren and pets away from
fireworks, have a bucket
of water handy to put out
any stray sparks and be
sure not to keep any fire-
works debris near a build-
ing in case of accidental
fire.
Lee encouraged safe-
ty and caution in order to
enhance the celebration
of the end of a hard year
and the anticipation of a
better one.
“Especially after a
pandemic year, everyone
should be wanting to get
away from 2020,” he said.

Slim Smith/Dispatch Staff

To help keep pace with demand, the Larmours employ college and high school staff
who are off for winter break. The Larmours have 14 employees this year to help
them process deer from December through the end of February.

Deer processors
Continued from Page 1A
like a cycle. As soon as we
clear cooler space, it fills
up. We stop taking in deer
when the coolers are full.
That’s happening every
week now.”
Based on what they
have seen so far, both Lar-
mour and Wilson expect
to process more deer than
ever before.
Wilson said the most
deer her company has
ever processed in a sea-
son was 1,200. For the
Larmours, the figure is
4,500.
There are no statewide
figures posted yet for this
year’s deer harvest. Until
this year, the Mississippi
Department of Wildlife,
Fisheries and Parks had a
deer count program fund-
ed by the state. But in the
2019 legislative session,
funding for 2020-21 was
not approved.
In 2019-20, the data
showed a harvest of
221,000 deer statewide,
up from 197,000 harvest-
ed in 2018-19 but well be-
low the mid-90s, when the
harvest was consistently
300,000 or more.
If demand for their
services is any indicator,
Larmour said this year’s
harvest may even exceed
those numbers.
“People are getting
frustrated,” Jack Larmour
said. “I had somebody
come and after I told him
I couldn’t take his deer, he
said he should open up his
own deer-processing busi-
ness. I told him, ‘Fine. Get
yourself $100,000 worth
of equipment and a build-
ing and have at it.’”
Nancy Larmour said
she and her husband have
thought about why the de-
mand is so high this year.
‘“I think it’s a combina-
tion of things,” she said.
“With COVID, people are
quarantined so they may
have more time to hunt.
Then, there’s the econom-
ic part. Back in March,
hamburger was up to
around $5.25 per pound
and there was a limit on
how much you could buy.
I think people still had
that in mind as the hunt-
ing season started.”
Lifelong Lowndes
County resident Dale Par-
ra has been deer hunting
for almost 60 years. He,
too, said he’s never before
seen such difficulty in
having a deer processed.
“It used to be much
easier,” he said. “You nev-
er even thought about it. I
don’t know how to account
for that. I don’t know if
more people are hunting,
but I do know more deer
are being brought in for
processing. I think peo-
ple are prepping for hard
times, kind of like folks
did in the Depression,
maybe.”
For those with deer
who can’t find a proces-
sor, Nancy Larmour said
people should cut the
deer into quarters and
keep it on ice.
“That will buy you
some time until a spot
opens up,’” she said.
Sports
NFL
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020
B
SECTION

Bills earn first sweep of Patriots since ’99 with 38-9 win
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
FOX BOROUGH,
Mass. — Josh Allen
passed for four touch-
downs and the Buffalo
Bills became the first
AFC East foe to sweep
the season series with the
New England Patriots in
two decades with a 38-9
victory on Monday night.
A week after unseating
the Patriots as AFC East
division champions, the
win also keeps alive the
Bills’ hopes of securing
a top-three seed for the
AFC playoffs.
The Bills (12-3) last
swept the Patriots in
1999. The last division
opponents to sweep the
Patriots were the Jets and
Dolphins in 2000. The Pa-
triots’ 19 straight seasons
without losing both games
to a divisional opponent
was an NFL record. New
England (6-9) will finish
with its first losing record
since Bill Belichick’s first
season in 2000.
Allen was 27 of 36 for
320 yards. He now has 34
touchdown passes, sur-
passing Jim Kelly to set
a franchise single-season
record. With his eighth
300-yard game, he also
surpassed Drew Bled-
soe’s single-season team
record of seven.
Stefon Diggs had nine
catches for 145 yards
and three touchdowns,
setting a Bills single-sea-
son record for receiving
yards.
The Patriots struggled
to move the ball for most
of the night with running
back Damien Harris out
for the second straight
game with an ankle injury.
Cam Newton had a touch-
down run but was just 5
of 10 for 34 yards passing
before being pulled in the
third quarter for backup
Jarrett Stidham.
Newton’s 34 yards
passing are the fewest by
a Patriots starting quar-
terback since 1993.
The Bills had no
trouble moving the ball
against a depleted Patri-
ots defense that was miss-
ing linebacker Ja’Whaun
Bentley and defensive
tackle Lawrence Guy,
who were inactive with
shoulder injuries.
Their absences were
most glaring in the pass-
ing game. New England
struggled to put pressure
on Allen, allowing him
time to find open receiv-
ers. The Patriots allowed
a season-worst 474 yards
total for the game.
The Patriots closed to
10-9 on Newton’s 9-yard David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports
TD run in the second Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts after his touchdown pass against the
quarter, but Nick Folk New England Patriots in the second half of Monday night’s game at Gillette Stadium
missed the extra point in Foxborough, Mass. Allen finished 27 of 36 passing for 320 yards. He now has 34
and the Bills pulled away touchdown passes, surpassing Jim Kelly to set a franchise single-season record.
from there. With his eighth 300-yard game, he also surpassed Drew Bledsoe’s single-season
Buffalo used its pass- team record of seven. The Bills beat the Patriots 38-9 to earn the first sweep of the
ing game to march down season series of the Patriots by an AFC East opponent since 2000. New England
See NFL, 2B will have its first losing record since that season, Bill Belichick’s first as head coach.

Washington MISSISSIPPI STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

releases 2019
first-round
pick Haskins Bulldogs hit the road to face Georgia to
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington released
2019 first-round pick
Dwayne Haskins on Mon-
open 2020-21 conference schedule
day, less than 24 hours
after he committed three
turnovers in a loss to
Carolina and in the after-
math of another violation
of pandemic protocols.
Haskins started in
place of injured quar-
terback Alex Smith de-
spite being disciplined
for breaking COVID-19
rules by partying with
several people without
a mask. He was fined
$40,000 and stripped of
his captaincy, but coach
Ron Rivera opted to stick
with Haskins because
Smith was still injured
and he didn’t have anoth-
er established QB on the
roster.

See HASKINS, 2B

Pats pick up a
pair of wins
FROM SPECIAL REPORTS

SENATOBIA — The
Heritage Academy boys
basketball team held off
host Magnolia Heights
48-46 on Monday at the
2020 Denny Brewer Me-
morial Classic in Senato-
bia.
Trey Naugher scored
16 points for the Patriots,
and Mack Howard had
13.
Heritage Academy
will face Bayou Academy
at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday as
the tournament contin-
ues.
Heritage Aca. girls 40,
Tri-County Academy 35
CANTON — The
Patriots girls came out
with a 40-35 win over
Tri-County Academy on
Monday at the Canton
Christmas Classic, host-
ed by Canton Academy.
Lucy Sharp led Her-
itage Academy with 15
points, and Reagan Mer-
chant had 13. Emma Britt
had four, Chloe Boyd
and Taylor Wheeler had
three, and Ellie Dawson
had two.
Heritage Academy’s
next game is at noon
Wednesday against host
Canton Academy as the
tournament continues.
Players like Tyson Carter won’t be available for Mississippi State this season as the Bulldogs open their SEC slate Wednesday at Georgia.
UGA ranks in the top 20 nationally in tempo, offensive rebounding percentage and steal percentage. “It’s going to be a very formidable
opponent, and we’re going to have to play really well to have success on the road at Georgia on Wednesday,” coach Ben Howland said.
BY THEO DEROSA
tderosa@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — Mississip-
pi State men’s basketball coach
Ben Howland has transitions on
his mind.
Not only is Howland prepar-
ing to lead the Bulldogs into
the grind of an 18-game South-
eastern Conference schedule —
during a pandemic, no less —
but Mississippi State’s very first
SEC game will be an early test
of its strength and stamina as
the 2020-21 campaign rolls on.
That’s because Georgia, the
first opponent on the conference
slate for Howland’s maroon and
white Bulldogs, has used a po-
tent transition offense to get out
to a 7-0 start.
“They’re coming at you so
hard,” Howland said during
Monday’s media availability
session. “They run the floor so
hard.”
Georgia pushes the ball hard
off both made shots and misses,
taking 34.5 percent of its field
goal attempts in transition —
good for No. 13 in the country,
one spot behind the unstoppable
offensive force that is Gonzaga,
the nation’s top-ranked team.
So when Mississippi State
(5-3) visits its fellow Bulldogs
at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Athens,
Howland knows what his team
will be up against.
“It’s going to be a very formi-
dable opponent, and we’re going
to have to play really well to have
success on the road at Georgia
on Wednesday,” the coach said.
Howland’s Bulldogs have
taken care of business in each
of their past two games, wins of
16 and 39 points against Central
Arkansas and Mississippi Val-
ley State, respectively.
And though neither the
Bears nor Delta Devils — the
worst team in Division I, per
KenPom.com — is a world-beat-
er, Georgia’s opponents thus
far this season have generally
lacked quality, too.
The best win for the red and
black Bulldogs came Dec. 19
against Cincinnati, an 83-68
Georgia win. But third-year
coach Tom Crean’s team hasn’t
played anyone near the level of
the Bearcats, KenPom’s No. 77
team; Georgia’s next-best win is
against No. 147 Montana. Plus,
all seven games have been in
the friendly confines of Stege-
man Coliseum in Athens.
That doesn’t mean Howland
is ready to write off his foes,
though. As of the end of MSU’s
win over Valley on Dec. 21, the
coach had yet to watch any film
from Georgia’s first six games;
he’s now watched quite a few.
And what Howland has seen has
left him impressed.
On Monday, apart from Geor-
gia’s willingness to get out and
run (the Bulldogs’ tempo ranks
19th in the country), Howland
pointed to his opponents’ of-
fensive rebounding rate of 38.6
percent, No. 11 in the nation.
He noted that Georgia sits one
spot ahead of Mississippi State
in total rebounding, something
that will be critical Wednesday
evening.
“We’ve got to do a great job
of blocking them out,” Howland
said.
He also brought up the multi-
ple defenses Crean and his staff
employ: a zone (that can fea-
ture the occasional trap), man-
to-man and a rare but effective
press. Georgia ranks 10th in
the country in steal percentage,
making each Mississippi State
Jim Lytle/Dispatch file photo
possession crucial.
“We’ve got to handle the ball,
take care of the ball, make good
decisions with it,” Howland said.
Despite Georgia’s excellence
in a few key areas, though,
Wednesday’s matchup is far
from a mismatch. Mississippi
State slots in at No. 81 in the
KenPom rankings; Georgia is
just behind at 85th.
Howland stressed that get-
ting his key players fresh ahead
of Wednesday’s game and the
rest of the Bulldogs’ season will
be paramount. He said he plans
to deploy an eight- or nine-man
rotation, pointing to guards
Iverson Molinar and D.J. Stew-
art and forwards Tolu Smith and
Abdul Ado as the team’s likely
minutes leaders going forward.
With 18 SEC games and a
Jan. 30 SEC/Big 12 Challenge
contest against Iowa State, the
Bulldogs will certainly need to
be ready.
“We’ve got a grueling 19-
game schedule ahead of us
against really good teams night
in, night out, and having stami-
na and keeping ourselves fresh
will be very important to having
success,” Howland said.
2B TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Lawrence, Fields land on title stage after lobbying to play

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
There has never been
any doubt about the foot-
ball abilities of Clemson’s
Trevor Lawrence and Jus-
tin Fields of Ohio State.
Their youth quarterback
coach could see the pow-
er arms, nimble feet and
accurate decision-making
when they were budding
Georgia prep stars.
Ron Veal also saw the
character and resolve in
Lawrence and Fields.
“Both were mostly qui-
et, taking everything in”
as rising Georgia prep
quarterbacks, Veal said in
a phone interview. “Until
it was time to speak up.”
The quarterbacks felt
it was time during the off-
season, and now they’ll
square off in the College
Football Playoff semifi-
nals when Clemson takes
on Ohio State in the Sug-
ar Bowl on Friday night.
It was their off-field
actions that helped set up
the the showdown.
Lawrence and Fields
spoke out on social jus-
tice issues and were out-
spoken to ensure players’
views were heard in dis-
cussions about having a
season amid the corona-
virus pandemic. College
athletes were angered
by the deaths of George
Floyd, Breonna Taylor
and others. They also
were disheartened and
confused by questions
if they would or should
play as the virus raged
throughout the country.
Both steadied their
teammates and gave fans
something to rally around
through their words and
actions, Veal said.
“They were leaders
when their teams needed
them,” he said.
The actions Lawrence
and Fields took often
landed them in the spot-
light:
— In June, Lawrence
was among Clemson
players who organized a
march for social justice
near campus.
— Fields and team-
mates put out a powerful
video for social change
with social media hastags,
“ # B l a c k L i ve s M a t t e r,”
and “#FightForChange.”
Fields was part of a cam-
pus demonstration where
Ohio State players, stu-
dents and staff knelt for
nine minutes in the wake
of Floyd’s death.
— In August, Law-
rence and Fields were
among those who start-
ed the “#WeWantToPlay”
movement that even
caught the ear of First
Fan, President Donald
Trump, who spoke with
Lawrence by phone.
— When the Big Ten
Conference initially
called off its fall season,
Fields created an on-
line petition to play that
gained 300,000 signers
in less than a week. “We
wanted to come together
and have a voice so people
who are making decisions
can hear,” Fields said.
The kind of player
activism Lawrence and
Fields demonstrated is
one of the most positive
things to come out of the
pandemic, said research-
er Richard Lapchick, who
heads the The Institute
of Diversity and Ethics in
Sports at UCF.
Lapchick said player
voices can cause change
and determine who
schools hire to lead foot-
ball and basketball teams.
“It has an affect on so-
ciety in general and it’s
also going to have an ef-
fect on the college level,”
Lapchick said.
The quarterbacks’ ef-
forts had an impact: The
Atlantic Coast Confer-
ence opened play in Sep-
tember while the Big Ten
reversed course and start-
ed in mid-October. Now,
the two signal callers are
a victory away from the
national title game.
Lawrence won his
third ACC championship
as a starter, throwing for
two touchdowns and run-
ning for a third as the sec-
ond-ranked Tigers (10-1;
No. 2 CFP) routed Notre
Dame 34-10 two weeks
ago.
Lawrence is pleased
with his play but isn’t sat-
isfied.
“I have goals for myself
and for my team,” he said.
“I want to put us in the
best position to win.”
Ohio State (6-0; No. 3
CFP) topped Northwest-
ern for its fourth consec-
utive Big Ten crown.
Lawrence played at
Cartersville High in Geor-
gia while Fields was about
20 miles South at Harri-
son High in Kennesaw,
becoming the nation’s top
college quarterback pros-
pects.
Lawrence signed with
Clemson, where he’s won
a national title, three ACC
crowns and gone 34-1 as a
starter.
Fields, after a bumpy
first year at Georgia,
transferred to Ohio State
where the Buckeyes have
gone 19-1 with him as the
starter. The lone loss: A
drama-filled 29-23 Clem-
son win at the Fiesta Bowl
in CFP semifinals.
Lawrence entered his
junior year as the likely
overall No. 1 NFL draft
pick while Fields is pro-
jected to go a few spots
later, possibly as high as
No. 2. Both could’ve eas-
ily opted out without im-
pacting their NFL futures
even though the Tigers
and Buckeyes were both
expected to challenge
again for the national title.
“That’s not what
they’re about,” Veal said.
It hasn’t been easy.
Lawrence missed two
games after testing pos-
itive for COVID-19 in
October, including Clem-
son’s lone loss at Notre
Dame, 47-40 in double
overtime. He’s passed for
2,753 yards and 22 touch-
downs, was named the
ACC player of the year
and Heisman Trophy fi-
nalist.
Fields has struggled
at times to find his 2019
form when he threw for
41 touchdowns and just
three interceptions. He’s
passed for 1,521 yards
with 15 touchdowns and
five interceptions. He
also injured his thumb in
the Big Ten title game,
although Buckeyes coach
Ryan Day said Fields will
be fine to face Clemson.
“I just have to be bet-
ter, and that’s that,” Fields
said after the Northwest-
ern win. “I’m not trying to
make excuses.”
Lawrence has no re-
grets about his choices in
this strangest of seasons.
He’s grateful he stayed
the course and found
strength to rally others to
play.
“I became a better per-
son,” Lawrence said. “I’ve
learned a lot about myself
about, who I want to be,
just all those things. Obvi-
ously, I want that to end in
a good way football-wise.”

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. 21 Minnesota beats bad-shooting No. 17 Mich. St.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS — Three days after
surging back to beat Iowa in overtime
behind a stream of 3-pointers, Minneso-
ta followed with a decisive victory over
Michigan State on the strength of a sti-
fling defense.
The Gophers have made their case to
be included in the crowd of contenders
in this loaded Big Ten.
Liam Robbins had 18 points, nine re-
bounds and three blocks, helping No. 21
Minnesota beat No. 17 Michigan State
81-56 on Monday night while holding the
Spartans to 25.7% shooting.
“It confirmed that we’re a tough team
and a determined team,” Robbins said.
“It just shows this group is just willing to
do anything to get it done.”
Marcus Carr scored 19 points with
five assists, as the Gophers (9-1, 2-1)
never trailed the sputtering Spartans
— who missed 52 of 70 field goal tries
— and outrebounded them 52-36. This
was Minnesota’s largest margin of victo-
ry ever over Michigan State, matching
a Jan. 4, 1997 game later vacated by the
NCAA.
Despite three transfers — Robbins,
Brandon Johnson and Both Gach — in
the starting lineup and a freshman get-
ting sixth man minutes — point guard
Jamal Mashburn Jr. — out of a limited
offseason, Minnesota has made the
most of this pandemic.
“We try to spend as much time as
possible together,” Johnson said. “Our
bond, it grows every game.”
Aaron Henry had 11 points and three
assists for paltry team highs as the Spar-
tans (6-3, 0-3) hit their first 0-3 start in
conference play in 19 years. They lost
last week to Northwestern and Wis-
consin, two of the record nine Big Ten
teams that landed in the latest Associat-
ed Press poll.
“We don’t have great leadership. That
doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s just hard to
find one of those alpha dogs. I’ve had
four or five of them my whole career,”
coach Tom Izzo said.
Robbins, the 7-foot transfer from
Drake, held his own against Iowa star
Luka Garza and found more room to
roam with a 3-inch edge on Michi-
gan State’s Joey Hauser. Robbins hit a
3-pointer on the opening possession,
mixed in a handful of successful soft
hooks and showed off his passing skill
with a slick high-low feed to Gach for a
layup and a three-point play after a foul
on Hauser that gave the Gophers a 46-21
lead.
“That’s my guy. He had this type of
performance in him,” Johnson said. “He
just had to relax, find his tempo of the
game, and pick his spots.”

NFL
Continued from Page 1B

the field on the ensuing
drive. Allen completed 5
of 7 throws for 59 yards
and a 4-yard TD to Lee
Smith.
After a quick three-
and-out by New England,
the Bills went right back
to work.
Allen misfired on his
first pass of the drive,
and then connected with
Diggs for 17 yards to get
the ball to midfield. Diggs
got free again on the next
play, slipping behind J.C.
Jackson on a slant and
sprinting the final 32
yards for the touchdown
to make it 24-9.
The Allen-Diggs con-
nection worked again on
the opening drive of the
second half. Allen found
Diggs three times during
an eight-play, 75-yard
drive that ended with an
18-yard TD play by the
star receiver.
Injuries
Bills: S Jordan Poyer
was helped off field late in
second quarter to be eval-
uated for a head injury.
Patriots: DE Tashawn
Bower left in the first
quarter with a neck injury.
… LB Josh Uche exited in
second quarter with a foot
injury. … LB Terez Hall
left in the third quarter
with an ankle injury. … S
Devin McCourty exited
in the third quarter with
a shoulder injury. … C
David Andrews left in the
third quarter with a calf
injury. … RG Shaq Mason
exited in the third quarter
with a foot injury. ... LB
Anfernee Jennings left in
the fourth quarter with an
undisclosed injury.

Haskins
Continued from Page 1B
“My time with the
WFT has unfortunately
come to an end,” Haskins
tweeted. “I thank the team
& fans for the opportuni-
ty to play for the team I
grew up rooting for. I take
full responsibility for not
meeting the standards of
an NFL QB & will become
a better man & player be-
cause of this experience.”
Rivera said Monday
morning either Smith or
Taylor Heinicke would
start the regular-season
finale at Philadelphia with
the NFC East title on the
line. It was clear Rivera
was done with Haskins,
whom he had shuffled to
the bottom of the depth
chart for the second time
this season.
“Sometimes you have
to hit rock bottom before
you can dig your way back
out of it,” Rivera said. “I
hope he learns from these
experiences. Hopefully,
they’ll make him stronger
and they’ll help him and,
hopefully, when he gets
his next opportunity, he’ll
make the best of it.”
Haskins was 14 of 28
with two interceptions
and a fumble against the
Panthers before being
benched for Heinicke,
who hadn’t played in the
NFL since 2018. Rivera
was asked what he’d like
to see from Haskins in the
next week and responded,
“Just improvement.”
That will have to come
elsewhere. He has some
tools to succeed in the
pros, but hasn’t been able
to put it all together in 16
appearances.
“You watch his talent,
and you see the arm,”
Rivera said. “That’s the
thing that I think is his
most redeeming quality
as a quarterback, which I
think is probably the most
important thing.”
But it’s far from the
only thing, his off-field be-
havior outweighed his po-
tential. A favorite of own-
er Dan Snyder’s from his
time at a Washington-ar-
ea high school, Haskins
missed the final play of
his first NFL victory last
year while taking a photo
with a fan in the stands,
disappeared from prac-
tice with a mysterious ill-
ness after being benched
and demoted in October
and twice violated rules
for conduct in the middle
of a pandemic.
The 23-year-old Ohio
State product said he
tried not to let his tumul-
tuous week of attending
his girlfriend’s birthday
party with several people
not wearing masks, pho-
tos surfacing on social
media, apologizing to
coaches and teammates,
being fined and losing his
captaincy affect his play.
But he was clearly down
in the dumps and despon-
dent in a postgame video
call he did after driving
home from the stadium.
“It was definitely the
hardest week of my life,”
Haskins said. “I’m just
going to bounce back and
move forward, pray and
get my life together.”
Washington’s previous
regime drafted Haskins
15th overall in 2019, the
third QB taken after Kyler
Murray and Daniel Jones.
He finishes his time with
the organization 3-10 as
the starter, including
1-5 this season, with 12
touchdowns and 14 inter-
ceptions.
The team’s last first-
round QB bust, Robert
Griffin III, tweeted Mon-
day: “Wishing the best for
(Haskins). You are only
23! Learn from this and
bounce back.”

Alabama’s Jones, Smith, Harris lead 6 Tide AP All-Americans
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Heisman Trophy final-
ists Mac Jones and DeVon-
ta Smith have been se-
lected to The Associated
Press All-America team,
leading a contingent of
five Alabama players on
the first-team offense.
Crimson Tide running
back Najee Harris, tack-
le Alex Leatherwood and
center Landon Dickerson
are also first-team selec-
tions. No. 1 Alabama is
the first team since 1980,
when the AP All-America
team began featuring two
wide receivers and two
running backs, to place
a quarterback, running
back and receiver on the
first team.
Cornerback Patrick
Comics & Puzzles
DILBERT
ZITS
GARFIELD
CANDORVILLE
BABY BLUES
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
Surtain II gives the Crim-
son Tide six first-team se-
lections, the most in the
nation.
The 2020 AP All-Amer-
ica team:
First team
Offense
Quarterback — Mac
Jones, junior, Alabama.
Running backs — Na-
jee Harris, senior, Ala-
bama; Breece Hall, soph-
omore, Iowa State.
Tackles — Brady
Christensen, junior, BYU;
Alex Leatherwood, se-
nior, Alabama.
Guards — Aaron
Banks, senior, Notre
Dame; Wyatt Davis, ju-
nior, Ohio State.
Center — Landon
FAMILY CIRCUS
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
Dickerson, senior, Ala-
bama.
Tight end — Kyle Pitts,
junior, Florida.
Receivers — DeVonta
Smith, senior, Alabama;
Elijah Moore, junior, Mis-
sissippi.
All-purpose player —
Travis Etienne, senior,
Clemson.
Kicker — Jose Borre-
gales, senior, Miami.
Defense
Ends — Rashad Weav-
er, senior, Pitt; Tarron
Jackson, senior, Coastal
Carolina.
Tackles — Daviyon
Nixon, junior, Iowa; Dari-
us Stills, senior, West Vir-
ginia.
Linebackers — Zaven
Collins, junior, Tulsa; Jer-
emiah Owusu-Koramoah,
senior, Notre Dame; Jo-
seph Ossai, junior, Texas.
Cornerbacks — Pat-
rick Surtain II, junior,
Alabama; Shaun Wade,
senior, Ohio State.
Safeties — Talanoa
Hufanga, junior, Southern
California; Brandon Jo-
seph, redshirt freshman,
Northwestern.
Punter — Pressley
Harvin III, senior, Geor-
gia Tech.
Second team
Offense
Quarterback — Kyle
Trask, senior, Florida.
Running backs — Jaret
Patterson, junior, Buffalo;
Javonte Williams, junior,
North Carolina.
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY:
I have been
married for
19 years now. A
few years back,
I came to know
about my hus-
band’s platonic
relationship with
his old girlfriend.
She lives in a
different state
and is married.
My husband
has long chats
with her every day
about everything, Dear Abby
including our sex
life. I confronted
him and asked him to end their
relationship because knowing
that he wants me to do some-
thing in bed because his friend
does it bothers me a lot. He
promised at the time that he
wouldn’t talk or chat with her
anymore, and I trusted him.
A few weeks ago, I discov-
ered that he still chats with her lawyers before deciding which
every day, and he changed her
name in his contact list to hide
his relationship. I feel cheated
on, and I want to end this mar-
riage. Please help me. I don’t
want to make a wrong step. —
BETRAYED IN FLORIDA
DEAR BETRAYED: A cou-
ple’s sex life is supposed to be
private. Your husband and his
supposedly platonic “friend”
Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Dec.
29). You’d rather have one
authentic exchange than a
hundred generic gestures. The
gems of your year will be just
the sort of wonderful events
that thrill and fortify you. Ever
the cheerleader, you’ll use your
airtime to promote others, and
you’ll thrive in spite of this —
or, more likely, because of it!
Gemini and Leo adore you. Your
lucky numbers are: 40, 3, 22,
12 and 18.
ARIES (March 21-April 19).
Someone wants you to make
a change from your standard
terms, and if you bend, he or
she will, too. There is a place
to meet — perhaps not in the
middle, exactly, but you’ll still
be better off for having made
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020
Tackles — Liam
Eichenberg, senior, Notre
Dame; Christian Darri-
saw, junior, Virginia Tech.
Guards — Cain Mad-
den, junior, Marshall;
Kenyon Green, sopho-
more, Texas A&M.
Center — Tyler Linder-
baum, sophomore, Iowa.
Tight end — Hunter
Long, junior, Boston Col-
lege.
Receivers — Jaelon
Darden, senior, North
Texas; Jonathan Adams
Jr., senior, Arkansas
State.
All-purpose player —
Kadarius Toney, senior,
Florida.
Kicker — Cade York,
sophomore, LSU.
Defense
have both be-
trayed the trust
of their spouses.
That he would
expect you to do
something in bed
that he knows
she is doing is
substituting your
body for hers,
and frankly, it
strikes me as
another form of
cheating. Obscur-
ing her name in
his contact file
illustrates that he
has no intention
of ending their
relationship.
You feel cheated on be-
cause you HAVE been cheated
on. It will continue as long as
you allow it. Because you’re
afraid you will take a wrong
step, start quietly gathering
all the financial information
you can and talk with several
one will work hardest to protect
your interests and proceed
from there.
DEAR ABBY: Due to COVID
shutting schools down, my em-
ployer is now allowing staff to
bring their kids to work if they
don’t have alternative child
care. I bring my 8-year-old, and
I have seen many other kids
around. Most of them are well
the deal.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20).
Without grace, beauty doesn’t
breathe; ornamentation doesn’t
sparkle. With grace, bad ideas
pass for brilliant; the mundane
becomes magical. What exactly
is grace? Whatever it is, you
have it today.
GEMINI (May 21-June
21). Even though you think it’s
obnoxious to draw attention to
your work, attributes and good
deeds, the fact is that unless
you are seen exemplifying a
quality, they will not understand
who you are. Don’t do it for ego.
Do it for clarity.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
You’ll lean toward acts of gal-
lantry, nobility, high character,
forgiveness, generosity. This
3B
Ends — Jaelen Phil-
lips, senior, Miami; Pat-
rick Jones, senior, Pitt.
Tackles — Alim Mc-
Neil, junior, North Caroli-
na State; Haskell Garrett,
senior, Ohio State.
Linebackers — Mike
Rose, junior, Iowa State;
Nik Bonitto, sophomore,
Oklahoma; Nick Bolton,
junior, Missouri.
Cornerbacks —Tre’Vi-
us Hodges-Tomlinson,
sophomore, TCU; Ahmad
Gardner, sophomore, Cin-
cinnati.
Safeties — Trevon
Moehrig, junior, TCU;
James Wiggins, senior,
Cincinnati.
Punter — Lou Hedley,
junior, Miami.
behaved and don’t cause any
problems.
However, we have a new
employee, “Michelle,” who has
started bringing her 4-year-old
with her. The child, I’ll call her
Autumn, is in her mother’s of-
fice, but she’s so loud, she can
be heard all the way across
the building! I thought surely
Michelle would close her office
door and contain Autumn’s
“jolly” voice inside her own
area, but she seems perfectly
happy to let her daughter make
as much noise as she wants.
I don’t understand this.
Other parents make sure their
kids behave and act appropri-
ately. What can I do to let Mi-
chelle and my supervisor know
that while yes, she can bring
her child with her, it’s still her
responsibility to make sure the
kid isn’t creating a distraction?
— TIRED OF THE NOISE
DEAR TIRED OF THE NOISE:
I do not think it would be
prudent to talk about this with
Michelle, which is sure to make
her defensive. You should,
however, inform your supervi-
sor that because Michelle’s
door is left open, her daugh-
ter’s “jolly” voice is creating
a distraction. If it has been
causing a problem for you, the
chances are it is doing the
same for other employees and
reducing productivity.
leaning changes the balance,
and into magnanimity you’ll
topple.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’ll
be asked to make a judgment,
and you really don’t have to. A
stance of no stance keeps you
in a perfect position. You can
say very little, keep the mood
light and move on swiftly.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
Work absorbs and excites you.
You’ll make a difference and
have an impact. These are the
sorts of efforts that make time
speed. You’ll be happy for the
puzzles that make everything
stop for a minute.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct.
23). The uphill climb won’t
be safe until after the thaw.
But wouldn’t it be silly to wait
around? Since that won’t get
you there at all, there’s no glory
in taking that route. Go easy.
Actually, it’s the only open route
right now.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).
Right now it’s a little hard to
get people to give you what you
need, maybe because you’re
not entirely clear on it. Explore
the topic. Ask yourself the sharp
questions.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). To complain always brings
someone discredit. There’s a
lot else to try before it comes to
that. Offer a solution if you can.
Another way is to praise the way
someone else did it and see if
others don’t follow suit.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). What you admire in others
you can cultivate in yourself.
This will eliminate the need for
you to carry around the kind of
heavy energy that comes from
wanting things from people.
Self-sufficiency is incredibly
light.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). You have friends in pow-
erful places. Though you rarely
ask anything of these connec-
tions, it’s a secure feeling to
know that if you needed to, you
could. Still, the best security
is knowing you have your own
back.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). Maybe you don’t complete-
ly judge a book by its cover, but
you do get a pretty good idea
about what language it’s written
in, what era it comes from and
more. Today, you’ll use every
hint you can get!
From now on
SOLUTION:
4B TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

AREA OBITUARIES
COMMERCIAL DISPATCH
OBITUARY POLICY
Obituaries with basic informa-
tion including visitation and
service times, are provided free
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to include, are available for a
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mitted through funeral homes
unless the deceased’s body
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tices must be received no later
than 7:30 a.m. for the Monday
through Friday editions. Paid
In addition to her
Bobby Harcrow Waymon Tilley
parents, she is survived Beloved husband, father, Waymon Earl Tilley, 77, of Ethelsville, AL
by her children, Jaylen and grandfather, Bobby Har- ,passed away Saturday, December 26, 2020, at
Williams and Kash crow, 75, passed away Wednes- Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle,
Mandel; and stepfather, day, December 23, 2020, at his Columbus, MS.
Jonathan Parnell. home. A graveside service will be Tuesday, Decem-
Memorials may be A funeral service was held ber 29, 2020, at 11:00 AM at Forest Cemetery,
made to St. Jude Chil- Monday, December 29, 2020, Ethelsville, AL, with Rev. Linda Shelton officiat-
dren’s Research Hospi- at 2:00 PM at Lighthouse Bap- ing, and Lowndes Funeral Home directing.
tal, 501, St. Jude Place, tist Church, Columbus, MS, Mr. Tilley was born December 1, 1943, in Co-
Memphis, TN, 38105. with Bro. Chris Rutledge and lumbus, MS. Poppa was a lifetime member of the
Rev. James Black officiating. A Forest Community and Forest UMC. He was al-
Frank Whisler visitation was one hour before the service. Inter- ways eager to help his family, friends, and neigh-
STARKVILLE — ment followed at Friendship Cemetery, Colum- bors in any way he could. He adored his wife and
Frank Duane Whisler, bus, MS, with Lowndes Funeral Home directing. family and loved working on his farm with his
86, died Dec. 22, 2020. Bobby was born on March 24, 1945, to the late cattle and equipment.
Earl McKinley Harcrow and Bertha Harcrow, in Mr. Tilley is survived by his wife, Vera Cook
Celebration of Life
services will be held Lowndes County, MS, and graduated from Liber- Tilley, Ethelsville, AL; his son, Joseph E. Tilley;
at Starkville Church of ty High School in 1963. He served in the Missis- daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Jim Ray; and
Christ. Burial will be sippi Army National Guard for six years. Bobby grandson, J.D. Ray II.
held at a later date at married Thretha Yearby on October 7, 1967. He Memorials may be made to Forest United
the Wedestown, West served roles in many work environments – Hum- Methodist Church, Cemetery Fund, 189 County
Virginia Cemetery. boldt Products for 13 years, Federal Aviation for Road 89, Ethelsville, AL 35461.
7 years, Weyerhaeuser maintenance technician
Welch Funeral Home of Compliments of
Lowndes Funeral Home
Starkville is in charge of for 30 years where he retired in 2013. He loved
arrangements. music, reading books, gardening, fishing, and www.lowndesfuneralhome.net
Mr. Whisler was Alabama football. Bobby mostly loved watching
his son Todd grow up playing sports, coaching

notices must be finalized by 3
p.m. for inclusion the next day
Monday through Thursday; and
on Friday by 3 p.m. for Sunday
and Monday publication. For
more information, call 662-
328-2471.
Hattie Davis
MACON — Hattie
Davis, 73, died Dec. 28,
2020, at Baptist Memo-
rial Hospital-Golden
Triangle.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by Carter’s
Funeral Services of
Macon.
Monique Spohn
COLUMBUS — Mo-
nique Denay Spohn, 30,
died Dec. 11, 2020, in
Aberdeen.
A private service
will be held at a later
Elizabeth Holder
born Nov. 20, 1934, in
Burton, West Virginia, several of his Propst Park teams, and enjoying
to Robert and Mildred spending time with his grandsons. Bobby was
a member of Lighthouse Baptist Church for 20
Liming Whisler. He was
years, where he loved being a part of the develop- Elizabeth Ann Holder, age
a graduate of Morgan-
ment of a blossoming young church. 83, a resident of Fairhope,
town High School,
In addition to his parents, Bobby was preced- AL, passed away Tuesday,
WVU and the Univer-
ed in death by his daughter, Lisa Maria; 2 broth- December 22, 2020.
sity of Illinois. He was
formerly employed with ers; and 3 sisters. She was a member of First
Bobby is survived by his wife of 53 years, Baptist Church, Fairhope,
USDA-ARS, with the
Thretha Harcrow; son, Todd (Laurie) Harcrow; where she was active in the
U.S. Water Laboratory
grandsons, Cayden and Cooper Harcrow; and a Sunday School Class.
and as a scientist and
host of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death
professor in the field by her husband, Thomas
Pallbearers will be Dylan Fullilove, Larry Full-
of Soil Physics in the Virgil Holder; and brother, Joe
ilove, Tim McDill, Jerry McDill, Robert Clay, and
Plant and Soils Science McDaniel.
Bob Johnson.
Department of MSU. Her survivors include her daughter, Sharon
Honorary pallbearers will be members of
He is survived by his (Rick) Williams of Fairhope; son, Jerry (Betty)
Lighthouse Baptist Church along with David and
wife, Ethel A. Fairchild Holder of Gulf Shores; brothers, Wesley
Michelle Miller, Ron and Angela Koch, and Hoot
Whisler; children, Eldon McDaniel of Coffeeville, MS and Billy McDaniel
N. Whisler of Starkville, and Sharron Garriga.
Memorials may be made to Lighthouse Bap- of Gore Springs, MS; sister, Doris Kent of Webb,
Robyn Beal of Van-
tist Church, 5030 Hwy 182 East, Columbus, MS MS; other relatives and friends.
cleave, Eric W. Whisler
39702. Graveside services will be held Tuesday,
of Nashville, Tennes- December 29, 2020, at 1:30 PM at the Alabama
Compliments of
see, Kirk B. Whisler
of Macon, Georgia and
Lowndes Funeral Home State Veteran’s Cemetery, Spanish Fort, Alabama.
www.lowndesfuneralhome.net Due to Alabama State Veteran’s Cemetery’s
Helena Goodyear of flower restrictions, please make donations to
San Antonia, Texas; 13

date. Lowndes Funeral
Home of Columbus is in
charge of arrangements.
Ms. Spohn was born
Nov. 25, 1990, in Cali-
fornia, to Terry Spohn
Ralph Taylor
Parkinson’s Association of Alabama at www.
grandchildren; and 19 parkinsonalabama.com.
great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be Paid Obituary - Wolfe-Bayview Funeral
made to Oktibbeha Ralph Thomas Taylor, 74, of Shuqualak, MS, Homes & Crematory Inc.
Regional Medical Cen- passed away Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at
ter, 400 Hospital Road, Baptist Medical Hospital in Jackson, MS.

Dr. Michael Henry

and Michelle Dinger Starkville, MS, 39759. A graveside service was held Monday,
Parnell. See OBITUARIES, 5B December 28, 2020, at Butler Cemetery in
Shuqualak, MS, with Bro. Gerald Butler and Bro.

Gary Miller
Jared Glover officiating. Memorials may be made Michael Alan Henry, MD
to Soul Harbor Pentecostal Church, P.O. Box passed away in Starkville,
474, Shuqualak, MS 39361 or Shriners Hospital Mississippi, on December 19,
for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 2020, at the age of 69. He was
Gary Miller, 73, of Macon, MS, passed away
33607. Cockrell Funeral Home is honored to be a beloved father, physician,
at Rush Hospital in Meridian, on Wednesday,
entrusted with arrangements. PoppaDoc, and friend.
December 23, 2020.
Ralph Thomas Taylor was born on April Mike Henry was born July
A memorial service was held at Salem
23, 1946, to Baker and Rosalie Thomas Taylor. 22, 1951, to Jesse Richard and
Cemetery, near Macon, on Saturday, December
He was the fifth of five children. He attended Nathalia Rose Forbes Henry
26, 2020, with Bro Sean Greer officiating.
Shuqualak Elementary School and high school at in Louisiana. He grew up the
Memorials may be made to Concord Baptist
Noxubee County High School. Ralph joined the middle child of a military family
Church, c/o Kay Papas, 187 West St., Macon,
U.S. Navy in 1967 and served until August of 1971. and spent his formative years stationed across the
MS 39341. Cockrell Funeral Home of Macon is
On February 16, 1968, he married his soulmate, pond in England, a country he would always hold
honored to have been entrusted with the service
Betty Jean Presley, at Butler Pentecostal Church dear. Just after returning stateside, he graduated
arrangements.
near Shuqualak. After returning home from the from Gosnell High School in Blytheville, AR.
James Gary Miller was born on December
military, he worked in the road construction He continued his education at Louisiana State
31, 1946, to the late Thurston and Johnnie Nell
business until 1990 when he purchased what University where he earned a BS in Zoology,
Sanders Miller. He was a graduate of Noxubee
became Taylor Supply, Inc., auto parts business enlisted in Air Force ROTC, and earned an MS
High School and East Mississippi Junior College
in Shuqualak. Ralph sold Taylor Supply in 2015 in Physiology. He then attended the Tulane
and was a member of the U.S. Army National
after twenty-five years. Upon selling the store, University School of Medicine, graduating in
Guard from 1966 until 1980.
he went to work for Tanner Farms as a heavy 1979. During his time at Tulane, Mike belonged
He married the love of his life, Lynn Hightower,
equipment operator which he loved doing. His to a small but distinguished group of medical
on June 21, 1967 and began working at Four
health began to deteriorate in his seventies, students known as the Tulane Piemen. After
County Electric Power Association in 1975. In
and he was forced to slow down. Ralph was a completing his residency in General Surgery at
January, 1980 Gary suffered a terrible accident at
wonderful and loving husband and father. He Tulane, Dr. Henry was assigned to Columbus
work that left him a triple amputee. After suffering
enjoyed fishing and most anything outdoors. AFB in Columbus, MS.
these terrific injuries that would have defeated
His happiest times were the times he spent with After leaving the Air Force, Dr. Henry
many other men, with God’s help, Gary attacked
his family. Ralph was a faithful member of Soul practiced medicine in the Golden Triangle
his disability with a determination to overcome
Harbor Pentecostal Church in Shuqualak and area for 35 years as a General Surgeon and an
his disabilities and not let them define his life.
personally helped build their new sanctuary and Emergency Room Physician. He loved his work
Each day was a struggle, but his determination
fellowship hall buildings. and the communities he served. Dr. Henry took
continually showed through. He never gave up
He is preceded in death by his parents; his up his battle with cancer with his trademark
and never gave an inch. He loved farming and
brother, Joe Taylor; his mother-in-law, Bessie determination, and continued to work as an ER
did row crop farming before turning to timber
Presley of Shuqualak, MS; brothers-in-law, physician long after his diagnosis. When he
farming and raising hay. Gary raised pure
Rodney Gill of Shuqualak, MS, Bobby Presley, wasn’t “saving lives and stamping out illness,”
Bermuda Grass hay, which is much in demand
and Hubbard Presley of Shuqualak, MS, and Sam Mike was an avid traveler and fisherman. His
and kept him busy from early spring to the final
Vernon of Brooksville, MS. years were benchmarked by annual trips with
cutting in the fall. With two prosthetic legs and
Ralph is survived by his wife of 52 years, his family to the Gulf Coast. He loved deep sea
one prosthetic arm, he could (and did) operate
Betty Jean Presley Taylor of Shuqualak, MS; son, sport fishing, experiencing new cultures, and
any piece of equipment on the farm. Gary was
Lonnie Thomas Taylor of Ridgeland; one sister, vacationing in Belize as often as he could. He
always willing to help anyone in need. He often
Opal Gill of Shuqualak, MS; two brothers, Otis battled cancer with unwavering resolve and,
hired young people to help on the farm and there
Taylor (Jean) of Columbus, MS and Olin Taylor while the cardiac event that ultimately took his
have been many testimonials to the trust and
(Annette) of Preston, MS; three sisters-in-law, life was unexpected, he found both peace and
responsibility that Gary gave these young men.
Olga Vernon, Brooksville, MS, Nancy Presley victory over cancer that day.
His leadership as an employer has helped many
Weaver of Shuqualak, MS, and Frances Taylor of Mike Henry is survived by his sons, Jeffrey
of them succeed in their own lives. Gary enjoyed
Wesson, MS. Beauregard Henry (Anna) and Brian Gill
traveling and camping in his fifth wheel RV and
Ralph also had four special nieces he claimed Barnett (Margaret); and his daughters, Allie
fishing. He loved Concord Baptist Church, his
for daughters, Sheila VanDevender (Tol) of Courtney Henry Workmon (Charlie) and
life-long church and led the choir for many years,
Shuqualak, MS, Pam Norris (John) of Macon, Katheryn Grace Henry Zumo (Luke); along with
both in regular services and in the Christmas
MS, Robin Dalrymple (Doug) of Columbus, 17 grandchildren, Kate, Lucy, Sam, Ellie, Molly
cantatas. He was also very involved in community
MS, and Kathy Glover (Jared) of Steens, MS. Rose, and Joe Workmon, Rocky, Cecilia, Birdie
and civic organizations. He was a member of the
He claimed their children as his grandchildren, Clare, Blaise, and Isaiah Zumo, Elizabeth, Kate
Macon Lion’s Club where he served as secretary
Christopher Newman, Cole Newman, Jack Rose, and Grace Barnett, Ian Graham, and Evie
and treasurer and was involved with their annual
VanDevender, Bhett VanDevender, Sarah Norris, and Malcolm Lewis. He is also survived by his
bar-be-que event for over 30 years. Gary was
Wyatt Norris, Jase Dalrymple, Taylor Dalrymple, brother, Richard Arthur Henry.
always willing to talk about his prosthetics to
Thomas Glover, Audrey Glover, Houston Glover, He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse
anyone and would encourage other amputees at
and Kayrn Glover. He also leaves a host of nieces and Rose; and his sister, Patricia Grace Henry
the prosthetics clinic to not give up. He was often
and nephews, cousins, and many friends. Gaylor.
called by the clinic to speak to those who were
having difficulty dealing with the process. Paid Obituary - Cockrell Funeral Home A private family service will be held at a later
Gary was preceded in death by his parents; date.
and two brothers, Johnny Miller and Kenny In lieu of flowers, donations can be made
Miller. in memory of Dr. Michael Henry to Tulane
Gary is survived by his wife, Lynn Miller; A club for boys and girls University School of Medicine. Visit www.giving.
siblings, Diane Miller Ricks and Mike Miller; tulane.edu and click “Schools & Units” to give
also his special pet dog, Oreo.
Boys and Girls Club of Columbus directly to the School of Medicine.
662-244-7090
Paid Obituary - Cockrell Funeral Home Paid Obituary - Welch Funeral Home
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 5B

Studies find having COVID-19 may protect against reinfection

Researchers found that people who kind of protection you’d
get from an effective vac-
detect the virus itself or
bits of it, suggesting cur-
223 of them tested positive
for infection in the roughly
ond infection if antibodies
were present, Sharpless
made antibodies to the coronavirus cine,” of getting the virus rent or recent infection. six months that followed. said.
His institute’s report
again, said Dr. Ned Shar- One study, published The National Cancer
were much less likely to test positive pless, director of the U.S. Wednesday by the New Institute study involved was posted on a website
National Cancer Institute. England Journal of Med- more than 3 million peo- scientists use to share re-
again for up to six months “It’s very, very rare” to icine, involved more than ple who had antibody tests search and is under review
get reinfected, he said. 12,500 health workers at from two private labs in at a major medical journal.
BY MARILYNN to six months and maybe The findings are “not
MARCHIONE The institute’s study Oxford University Hospi- the United States. Only
longer. a surprise ... but it’s really
AP Chief Medical Writer had nothing to do with tals in the United King- 0.3 percent of those who
The results bode well reassuring because it tells
cancer — many federal re- dom. Among the 1,265 initially had antibodies
for vaccines, which pro- people that immunity to
Two new studies give voke the immune system searchers have shifted to who had coronavirus anti- later tested positive for the
the virus is common,” said
encouraging evidence to make antibodies — sub- coronavirus work because bodies at the outset, only coronavirus, compared
Joshua Wolf, an infectious
that having COVID-19 stances that attach to a of the pandemic. two had positive results with 3 percent of those
disease specialist at St.
may offer some protection virus and help it be elimi- Both studies used two on tests to detect active in- who lacked such antibod- Jude Children’s Research
against future infections. nated. types of tests. One is a fection in the following six ies. Hospital in Memphis who
Researchers found that Researchers found that blood test for antibodies, months and neither devel- “It’s very gratifying” had no role in either study.
people who made anti- people with antibodies which can linger for many oped symptoms. to see that the Oxford re-
bodies to the coronavirus from natural infections months after infection. That contrasts with the searchers saw the same
were much less likely to were “at much lower risk The other type of test uses 11,364 workers who initial- risk reduction — 10 times
test positive again for up ... on the order of the same nasal or other samples to ly did not have antibodies; less likely to have a sec-

Obituaries
Continued from Page 4B

Liza White Richard Townsend and ba County, to the late today, at Hairston and a U.S. Army veteran and
Amanda Townsend. She Luther and Beulah Hairston Funeral Home. was formerly employed
MABEN — Liza
was formerly employed Hickman Sloan. She Hairston and Hairston Charles Harmond
Harpole White, 92, died as a truck driver with Visitation:
Dec. 19, 2020, at her as an entrepreneur. attended Van Buren Funeral Home of Co- Montana Farms. He was Tuesday, Dec. 29 • 1-2 PM
College St. Location
residence. In addition to her par- School and was former- lumbus is in charge of a member of Shiloh Full Services:
A graveside service ents, she was preceded ly employed with the arrangements. Gospel M.B. Church. Tuesday, Dec. 29 • 2 PM
in death by her siblings, garment plant, as a tax Ms. Taylor was born College St. Chapel
was held Tuesday, Dec. In addition to his Burial
22, at Providence Meth- John R. Townsend, Rev. preparer, as a bookkeep- July 14, 1953, in Macon, father, he was preceded Friendship Cemetery
odist Church Cemetery, Roy C. Townsend, Rev. er with Monroe County to Willie Earl Taylor in death by his brother, College St. Location

with the Rev. Cary Arthur R. Townsend Hospital and with H&R and Lizzie Lou Hopkins Sydney Doughty.
and Ernestine Tee Block. Taylor. Jack Owens
Sutphin officiating. In addition to his Visitation:
Welch Funeral Home of Rogers. In addition to her She is survived by mother, he is survived Wednesday, Dec. 30 • 11-12 PM
Starkville was in charge She is survived by parents, she was pre- her brother, Willie C. by his wife, Linda College St. Location
her children, Loddie ceded in death by her Goodman of Alabama. Services:
of arrangements. Jordan Doughty of Co- Wednesday, Dec. 30 • 12 PM
She was preceded in Kennard of Columbus husband, Boyd Allen; lumbus; children, Stacy College St. Chapel
death by her parents, and Johnnie Brank son, Anthony Allen; two Stace Doughty Burial
Hilario and Anstacia Memorial Gardens of Columbus
Oswald Harpole and of Detroit, Michigan; brothers; three sisters; COLUMBUS — Doughty, both of Colum- College St. Location
Virgie McMullen Har- siblings, Mattie Foun- and one great-grand- Stace Earl Doughty, 58,
tain, Mary Harrell bus; siblings, Sammie
pole; husband, Edsel child. died Dec. Talmadge Wilson
and Amanda Sykes Doughty, Gary Dough-
White; son, Gary White; She is survived by 21, 2020, at Incomplete
all of Starkville; three ty, Dwight Doughty,
and sister, Billie Jean her son, Donnie Allen of his resi- College St. Location
grandchildren; and two Becker; sister, Ruth Wil- Jennifer Washington,
Barton. dence. and Sheresa Edwards,
She is survived by great-grandchildren. liams of Germantown, Grave-
Tennessee; five grand- all of Columbus, Calvin
her children, Mickey side ser- Doughty of Jackson, and
White of Maben and Talmadge Wilson children; and seven vices will Aljamar Carter of Tusca-
memorialgunterpeel.com
Dena Miller of Tupelo; COLUMBUS — Tal- great-grandchildren. be at 2 p.m.
madge R. Wilson, 62, loosa, Alabama; and one
siblings, Gay McCain Wednes- Doughty
grandchild.
of Denham Springs, died Dec. 28, 2020, at Lizzie Taylor day, at Me-
Louisiana, O.D. Harpole his residence. COLUMBUS — morial Gardens Ceme-
of Brandon and Henry Arrangements are Lizzie Mae Taylor, 67, tery. Burial will follow.
Harpole of Ettrick, incomplete and will be died Dec. 24, 2020, at Visitation is from noon-6
Virginia; five grandchil- announced by Memorial Baptist Memorial Hospi- p.m. today, at Carter’s
dren; five great-grand- Gunter Peel Funeral tal-Golden Triangle. Funeral Services. Car-
children; and five Home and Crematory, Graveside services ter’s Funeral Services of
great-great-grandchil- College Street location. will be at 11 a.m. Columbus is in charge
dren. Wednesday, at James of arrangements.
Antionette Allen Creek MB Church Cem- Mr. Doughty was
Eva Whiteside ABERDEEN — An- etery of Brooksville, born Aug. 18, 1962, in
WEST POINT — tionette Sloan Allen, with the Rev. Michael Columbus, to Martha
Eva Townsend White- 93, died Dec. 27, 2020, Tate officiating. Visi- Doughty and the late
side, 87, died Dec. 23, at the Care Center of tation is from 1-5 p.m. Sam Doughty Jr. He was
2020, in Columbus. Aberdeen.

Charles Harmond Holley Ashcraft

Graveside services Graveside services
are at 1 p.m. today, at will be at 11 a.m.
New Hope M.B. Church Wednesday, at Oaklawn
Charles Edward Harmond passed away peace- Holley Mac Ashcraft was
Cemetery, with the Rev. Cemetery, with Robert
fully at home, in Hattiesburg, on Christmas day called home to be with his Lord
Thomas Boyd Jr. offici- Earl Fowlkes officiating.
2020, at the age of 77. on December 25, 2020. Those
ating. Carter’s Mortuary Tisdale-Lann Memo-
Charles was born in Steens, Mississippi, was who loved him, find peace in
Services of West Point rial Funeral Home of
proud graduate of Lee High School and Missis- knowing that he’s reunited with
is in charge of arrange- Aberdeen is in charge of
sippi State University, where he was a member his beautiful wife of 41 years,
ments. arrangements.
of the Famous Maroon Band. After serving as an Thelma. Polar opposites in so
Mrs. Whiteside was Mrs. Allen was born
officer in the U.S. Army’s XVII Airborne Corps many ways, they were perfect
born June 2, 1933, in in the Peaceful Valley
during the Vietnam War, he returned to Lowndes for each other.
Starkville, to the late Community of Itawam-
County. Born May 7, 1930, in
Granddad, to those who loved him most, was Starkville, Mississippi, Holley

Connie Mason
Anita Colleen (Connie)
Raines Mason passed away
on December 20, 2020, in
Huntsville, AL.
Mrs. Mason was born in
Bowie, TX, on October 5, 1927.
She lived 93 wonderful years.
She married John Wallace
Mason on June 8, 1946.
She was preceded in death
by him, and her parents, Myrtle
and Calvin Raines.
Mrs. Mason lived in Columbus, MS, for 62
years, prior to moving to Madison, AL, in 2007,
to be near family.
She is survived by her three daughters,
Gayle M. George (Richard), Mary Beth M.
Strain (Mike) of Madison, AL, and Robin M.
Boyles (Durr) of Jackson, MS. Mrs. Mason was
a beloved “Nana” to seven grandchildren, Mason
Caldwell, Kimberly George Salvail (Patrick),
Erin Roberts (Brent), David George (Heather),
all of Madison, AL, and Gray Boyles and Connor
Boyles of Dallas, TX, and Reed Rutledge. She has
5 great-grandchildren, Katie Lauren and Haley
Claire Salvail and John Brooks, Ellison Brynn
and Jay Davis Roberts, all of Madison, AL.
Connie was a true southern lady, a devoted,
wife, mother, grandmother, and great-
grandmother.
Mrs. Mason has one sister, Mrs. Bob Spooner
of Warrenton, MO.
She was a member of First Baptist Church in
Madison.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to
Hospice Family Cares at Huntsville Hospital
Foundation or to the First Baptist Church in
Madison, AL.
Paid Obituary - Legacy Chapel
Funeral Home & Crematory
a CPA and partner at T.E. Lott & Co., and later,
General Manager of the Commercial Dispatch.
He was active in the community as a lifelong
member of Central United Methodist Church,
the Exchange Club, Rotary Club, and Columbus
Air Force Base Community Council. He was a
true servant leader, and his public actions always
matched his private beliefs.
More importantly, Granddad loved his family.
He was the father of three sons, grandfather of
twelve, and a friend to all. His laughter was in-
fectious, his singing of Kingston Trio songs was
hilariously bad, and his wisdom will be cherished
for generations.
Charles was preceded in death by his parents,
John and Katherine; and his beloved wife, Sher-
ry.
He is survived by his siblings, Tom, Mildred,
and John; and his sons and grandchildren, liv-
ing all across the world, share his love of travel.
They are Edward (Terry) and their children, Wil-
son, Brianna, Brooke, Thomas, Bryce, and Noah;
Bill, (Paula) and their children, Austin, Jordan,
Alana, and Karsyn; and Josh (Shelly) and their
sons, Joseph and Elijah.
Services will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, De-
cember 29, 2020, at Memorial Gunter Peel Funer-
al Home & Crematory Chapel, College Street lo-
cation. Burial will follow at Friendship Cemetery.
Visitation will be one hour prior to services at
the funeral home. Memorial Gunter Peel Funeral
Home & Crematory, College Street location, has
been entrusted with the arrangements.
Pallbearers are Justin Harmond, David Har-
mond, Clif Swedenburg, Winston Swedenburg,
Dwayne Young, and Austin Tollett.
Sign the online guest book at
www.memorialgunterpeel.com
903 College Street • Columbus, MS
Mac was the eldest son of Charles and Rhoda
Junkin Ashcraft. Early on in life, his family
moved to Columbus, Mississippi, where he spent
his childhood and adolescence surrounded by a
large, close knit group of extended family. His
ties remained close there over the years with his
yearly trips back to reconnect with family and
friends. As an adult, Holley Mac eventually found
his way to Canton, Texas, where he and his wife,
Thelma, lived out their best years on a beautiful
property that they fondly referred to as “Almost
Heaven”. They led a good, simple life.
In his 90 years, Holley Mac lived a full life. A
veteran of the U.S. Army, he served as a medic in
the Korean War. He also spent 28 exciting years
with the Dallas Police Department, retiring in
1982. He was a much loved and valued member of
the First Baptist Church in Canton. Their prayers
and kindness, especially through his later years,
meant a lot to him. Initiated in the East Dallas
Masonic Lodge back in 1962, Holley Mac became
a highly respected Master Mason. In addition to
over 50 years of service, he was awarded one of
the most prestigious honors a mason can receive
– a Golden Trowel. He was an active member in
several lodges in North Texas over the years –
most recently, the Castillian Lodge in Canton
and the Grand Saline Lodge. The friendships he
made there were life-long. They may not have
been blood, but they were his brothers.
Holley Mac is preceded in death by his wife,
Thelma Pauline Ashcraft; and two brothers,
Samuel and Charles Richard Ashcraft. He will be
greatly missed by his two sisters, Mary Jo Hays
and Vivian Lowe; brother, Rayburn Ashcraft;
nieces, nephews, cousins and so many others.
Mr. Ashcraft has been laid to rest alongside
his wife, Thelma, at a private graveside service
at Crandall Cemetery in Crandall, with Brother
Steve Glosup officiating.
Paid Obituary - Eubank Funeral Home
Haven of Memories
Classifieds
LEGALS
Call us: 662-328-2424
Legal Notices
IN THE COUNTY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE AC-
QUISITION CORP.,
PLAINTIFF,
VS.
DELORES A. ATKINS; JOHN
DOE N/K/A MARTY ATKINS
AND THE UNKNOWN OCCU-
PANTS OF 106 Westview Lane.
Columbus, MS 39705
DEFENDANTS.
CASE NO. 2020-0045-CV2
SUMMONS
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
TO: Delores A. Atkins
You have been made a Defend-
ant in the suit filed in this
Court by J.P. Morgan Mortgage
Acquisition Corp., Plaintiff,
seeking possession of prop-
erty at 106 Westview Lane, You are summoned to appear
Columbus, MS 39705. Defend- and defend against the Com-
ants other than you are John plaint or Petition filed against
you in this action at 1:30
Doe, n/k/a Marty Atkins and
the Unknown Occupants of 106 o'clock P.M. on the 14th day of
Westview Lane, Columbus, MS January, 2021, before Judge Al- Ashleigh, 662−386−4446.
39705. lison Kizer, in the courtroom of
the Lowndes County Court loc-
You are summoned to appear
and defend against the Com-
plaint or Petition filed against
you in this action at 1:30
o'clock P.M. on the 14th day of
January, 2021, before Judge Al-
lison Kizer, in the courtroom of
the Lowndes County Court loc-
ated at 502 2nd Avenue,
Columbus, Mississippi, and in
case of your failure to appear
and defend a judgment will be
entered against you for the
money or other things deman-
ded in the Complaint or Peti-
tion.
You are not required to file an
answer or other pleading but
you may do so if you desire.
Issued under my hand and the
seal of said Court, this 8th day
of December, 2020.
Lowndes County Court Clerk
502 2nd Avenue
Columbus, MS 39703
(Seal)
By: Ann marie Langford, D.C.
PUBLISH: 12/22/20,
12/29/20 & 1/5/21
IN THE COUNTY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE AC-
QUISITION CORP.,
PLAINTIFF,
VS.
DELORES A. ATKINS; JOHN
DOE N/K/A MARTY ATKINS
AND THE UNKNOWN OCCU-
PANTS OF 106 Westview Lane.
Columbus, MS 39705
DEFENDANTS.
CASE NO. 2020-0045-CV2
SUMMONS
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
TO: Unknown Occupants
You have been made a Defend-
ant in the suit filed in this
Court by J.P. Morgan Mortgage
Acquisition Corp., Plaintiff,
seeking possession of prop-
erty at 106 Westview Lane,
Columbus, MS 39705. Defend-
ants other than you are De-
lores Atkins and John Doe,
n/k/a Marty Atkins.
You are summoned to appear
and defend against the Com-
plaint or Petition filed against
you in this action at 1:30
o'clock P.M. on the 14th day of & 1/12/21
January, 2021, before Judge Al-
lison Kizer, in the courtroom of
the Lowndes County Court loc-
ated at 502 2nd Avenue,
Columbus, Mississippi, and in
case of your failure to appear
and defend a judgment will be
entered against you for the
money or other things deman-
ded in the Complaint or Peti-
tion.
You are not required to file an
answer or other pleading but
you may do so if you desire.
Issued under my hand and the
seal of said Court, this 8th day
of December, 2020.
Lowndes County Court Clerk
502 2nd Avenue
Columbus, MS 39703
(Seal)
By: Ann Marie Langford, D.C.
PUBLISH: 12/22/20,
12/29/20 & 1/5/21
Service Directory
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Call 602−736−4880.
General Services
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Bucket truck & stump
removal. Free est.
Serving Columbus
since 1987. Senior
citizen disc. Call Alvin @
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Ads appear in The Commercial Dispatch,
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To place ads starting at only $12,
call 662-328-2424 or visit ads.cdispatch.com
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 n 6B
Legal Notices General Help Wanted Mobile Homes for Rent
IN THE COUNTY COURT OF
LOWNDES COUNTY
CARPENTER NEEDED w/ at
least 4 yrs. of experience.
RENT A CAMPER!
CHEAPER THAN A MOTEL!
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Ideal candidate will have an Utilities & cable included,
J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE AC- eye for detail, be depend- from $145/wk − $535/mo
QUISITION CORP., able, have good communic- Columbus & County School
PLAINTIFF, ation skills, reliable trans- locations. 662−242−7653
portation & basic tools. We or 601−940−1397.
VS. specialize in home remod-
els & new construction.
DELORES A. ATKINS; JOHN
Real Estate
Call 662-312-3130 for info.
DOE N/K/A MARTY ATKINS
AND THE UNKNOWN OCCU-
PANTS OF 106 Westview Lane.
Rentals
Columbus, MS 39705
DEFENDANTS. Ads starting at $25
CASE NO. 2020-0045-CV2
SUMMONS
Ads starting at $25 Houses For Sale: East
THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Apts For Rent: North FSBO: 4BR/2BA. New roof,
new paint, fenced
Sudoku
TO: John Doe, n/k/a Marty backyard, driveway leads
Atkins
2−3BR/1BA DUPLEX, YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
newly renovated with bonus behind house. $128,000.
662−889−1443.
You have been made a Defend- room. HUD accepted.
ant in the suit filed in this
Court by J.P. Morgan Mortgage
662−425−6954.
Lots & Acreage Sudoku
Sudoku is a number-
placing puzzle based on
Yesterday’s answer
Acquisition Corp., Plaintiff,
FOX RUN APARTMENTS Sudoku
a 9x9 gridis a several
with num- 6 7 1 4 9 5 2 3 8
seeking possession of prop- 1.75 ACRE LOTS: Good/
erty at 106 Westview Lane,
1 & 2 BR near hospital. ber-placing
given numbers.puzzle
The object 3 5 9 2 6 8 7 1 4
2020 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
$595−$645 monthly. Bad Credit Options. Good
Columbus, MS 39705. Defend-
Military discount, pet area, credit as low as 20% down, based onthe
is to place a 9x9
numbers 4 8 2 3 7 1 6 5 9
ants other than you are De-
lores Atkins and the Unknownpet friendly, and furnished $499/mo. Eaton Land, grid
1 to 9with
in theseveral
empty spaces 9 6 8 5 4 3 1 2 7
Occupants of 106 Westview corporate apts. 662−361−7711.
given
so thatnumbers.
each row, eachThe 5 1 3 7 8 2 4 9 6
Lane, Columbus, MS 39705. 24−HOUR PROFESSIONAL object
column is andtoeach
place
3x3 the
box 7 2 4 9 1 6 5 8 3
GYM. ON SITE SECURITY.
numbers
contains the1sameto 9 number
in
Merchandise
ON SITE MAINTENANCE.
ON SITE MANAGEMENT. the empty spaces so 1 4 5 6 3 9 8 7 2
only once. The difficulty 8 3 7 1 2 4 9 6 5
24−HOUR CAMERA that each row, each
level increases from
SURVEILLANCE. Benji &
Ads starting at $12 column and each 2 9 6 8 5 7 3 4 1
Monday
3x3 boxtocontains
Sunday. Difficulty Level 12/28
Apts For Rent: West the same number only once. The difficulty level
ated at 502 2nd Avenue, General Merchandise increases from Monday to Sunday.
VIP
Columbus, Mississippi, and in
case of your failure to appear Roper Dryer, standard size,
and defend a judgment will be
Rentals
good condition, $200.
entered against you for the
money or other things deman- 662−312−6617.
ded in the Complaint or Peti-
tion. Apartments & Houses
Sporting Goods
You are not required to file an
answer or other pleading but
1 Bedrooms
2 Bedroooms
you may do so if you desire.
ED SANDERS GUNSMITH
Open for season!
3 Bedrooms
Issued under my hand and the Tue−Fri: 9−5 & Sat: 9−12
seal of said Court, this 8th day Over 50 years experience!
of December, 2020. Furnished & Unfurnished Repairs, cleaning, refin−
ishing, scopes mounted &
Lowndes County Court Clerk
502 2nd Avenue 1, 2, & 3 Baths zeroed, handmade knives.
Lease, Deposit
Located: Hwy 45 Alt, North
Columbus, MS 39703 of West Point, turn right on
(Seal) & Credit Check Yokahama Blvd, 8mi & turn
By: Ann Marie Langford, D.C. left on Darracott Rd, will
viceinvestments.com see sign, 2.5mi ahead
327-8555
PUBLISH: 12/22/20, shop on left.
12/29/20 & 1/5/21 662−494−6218.
IN THE CHANCERY COURT OF
Apts For Rent: Other
Community
LOWNDES COUNTY, MISSIS-
SIPPI
IN THE MATTER OF THE ES-
TATE OF KEITH WARD PAR-
RISH, DECEASED Ads starting at $12
KAREN MCDANIEL, EXECUTOR
Good Things To Eat
NO.2020-00246-RPF
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Letters Testamentary have
been granted and issued to
Karen McDaniel, Executor of
the Estate of Keith Ward Par-
rish, deceased, by the Chan-
cery Court of Lowndes County,
Mississippi, on the 21st day of
December, 2020. This is to
give notice to all persons hav-
ing claims against the estate
to Probate and Register same
with the Chancery Clerk of
Lowndes County, Mississippi,
within ninety (90) days from the
date of first publication of this
Notice. A failure to so Probate
and Register the claim will
COLEMAN
forever bar the same. RENTALS
TOWNHOUSES & APARTMENTS
THIS the 22nd day of Decem-
ber, 2020. 1 BEDROOM ACROSS
Estate of Keith Ward Parrish 2 BEDROOMS 1 Lighthouse
By: Karen McDaniel, Executor 3 BEDROOMS settings
OF COUNSEL: 6 Pacific island
LEASE,
© The Dispatch
John W. Crowell (MSB 7906) group
Crowell Gillis & Cooper, PLLC
Post Office Box 1827
DEPOSIT 11 Make a
Columbus, MS 39703 AND Five Questions: speech
PHONE: (662) 243-7308
jcrowell@cgclawpllc.com CREDIT CHECK 12 Want badly
13 Jokester
PUBLISH: 12/29/20, 1/5/21
662-329-2323 1 Mary-Kate and 15 Snaky shape
2411 HWY 45 N Ashley Olsen 16 Flock father
17 History
COLUMBUS, MS
Employment stretch
Houses For Rent: North 2 Sacagawea 18 Some square
dancers
Call us: 662-328-2424 COLONIAL TOWNHOUSES. 20 Plopped
2 & 3 bedroom w/ 2−3 3 F. Scott Fitzger- down
ald
bath townhouses. $650 to
Customer Service $750. 662−549−9555. 21 Water cooler 42 Glue’s kin 19 Long car
Ask for Glenn or text. 22 Sitar’s cousin 43 Spirited horse 22 Tree part
LOCAL LAW FIRM is seek- Mobile Homes for Rent 23 Slugger Sosa DOWN 23 Eat greedily
ing Receptionist/Secretary.
Previous experience
4 Hewlett-Pack- 26 Used a 1 Shrink in fear 24 Pennsylvania
helpful but not necessary.
3BR/2BA MH in New Hope.
$650 dep + $650/mo. No ard sponge 2 Stand city
Computer skills a must. pets, quiet area. Leave full 27 Singer Laine 3 Out of style 25 Grazing
Email resume to: name & message, 28 Sleeve filler 4 Summer, in areas
job116@cdispatch.com 205−712−6697. 5 Googly 29 — loss (con- Paris 26 Twists in pain
fused) 5 Requirement 28 Woeful cry
Good help isn’t hard to find if you know 30 “Open Sesa-
me” sayer
for surprise 30 Tolerate
6 Con games 31 Wise saying
where to look. Start your search here. 34 Scepter 7 Curved path 32 Southern lass
35 Slugger’s 8 Fabricates 33 Inquired
need 9 Pigged out 38 Rent out
36 — Moines 10 Filled with 39 Skin art, for
37 Prattle bubbles short
40 Single 14 Quite uncom-
41 Aerie builder mon
General Services General Services Painting & Papering
WORK WANTED: Licensed QUALITY PAINTING.
& Bonded. Carpentry, minor Ext/Int Painting.
electrical, minor plumbing, Sheet Rock Hang, Finish &
insulation, painting, demo− Repair. Pressure Washing.
lition, gutters cleaned, Free Estimates. Ask for
pressure washing, land− specials! Larry Webber,
scaping, cleanup work. 662−242−4932.
662−242−3608.
Lawn Care / Landscaping SULLIVAN’S PAINT
SERVICE
Special Prices.
JESSE & BEVERLY’S Interior & Exterior Painting.
LAWN SERVICE
662−435−6528
Fall Cleanup, Tree Cutting,
Landscaping, Sodding &
Bush Hogging
662−356−6525
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TERRA CARE
LANDSCAPING L.L.C.
Phone: 662−549−1878
business.
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Clean Up, Plant Care, Are you a painter? Advertise here
Bush Hogging, to grow your business.
Herbicide Spraying