A rose to the Market Street Festival, which was held this weekend in downtown Columbus. We acknowledge all who had a hand in making this year’s event a success, including Main Street Columbus and director Barbara Bigelow, and her staff, more than 400 volunteers, police/fire personnel, entertainers, organizer Amber Brislin and, of course, visitors. We also give a rose to the weather. Unlike last year when rain washed out the Friday evening portion of the festival, the weather was perfect throughout, a cool but pleasant Friday evening followed by a sunny, warm Saturday.
A rose to high school baseball in Lowndes County. Columbus High and New Hope High advanced in the Mississippi High School Activities Association playoffs with first-round series sweeps this week. Columbus (23-6) eliminated third-ranked Clinton in the Class 6A playoffs, while New Hope (26-3) began its Class 5A state title defense by eliminating Center Hill.
New Hope, which faces Pearl this week, has won 14 straight games, while upstart Columbus is enjoying its first postseason run, having won the school’s first two playoff series this year.
Also Friday night, Heritage Academy ended its campaign at 19-14 with a loss in the semifinal round of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA, Division II playoffs. West Lowndes also qualified for the MHSAA Class 1A playoffs but lost in the play-in round.
A rose to the Starkville Community Market, which opened Saturday. Officials estimated about 800 people visited the market Saturday across three operating hours. The market continues to make strides since the Greater Starkville Development Partnership took over the event two years ago. Last year, the GSDP extended the market into August in response to public demand and added more vendors. This year, organizers will add a Tuesday market, which will run from 4-6 p.m. To meet the goal of growing the market, volunteers are needed to help set up and take down vendor areas, participate in shopper censuses and handle logistical needs as they arise. Those interested can email Jennifer Prather at [email protected] or call Volunteer Starkville at 662-268-2865. For more information on SCM, market guidelines and vendor applications, visit visit.starkville.org/market.
A rose to Columbus chapter of Kiwanis International, which Wednesday celebrated the history of the club. The Columbus chapter was founded 93 years ago and is one of the earliest chapters in the organization’s history. Kiwanis was founded in 1915 in Detroit, Mich. Kiwanis International is founded on six primary goals: To give primacy to the human and spiritual rather than to the material values of life; to encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships; to promote the adoption and the application of higher social, business and professional standards; to develop, by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive and serviceable citizenship; to provide a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render altruistic service and to build better communities; and to cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism and goodwill.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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