A rose to organizers Wayne and Betty Bryan and host MUW for Tuesday’s reception and portrait unveiling to honor Alma Turner, who for 40 years has been a key figure in the education community in the Golden Triangle. Friends, former colleagues, admirers and perhaps most importantly, former students, packed the reception to honor Turner, who served on The W’s campus with the Demonstration School for many years, helping to guide both students and young student-teachers at MUW in her role as teacher and principal, a position she held for a decade. She also served as assistant superintendent of the West Point School District and regional director of the Institute of Community Services Head Start Program. Turner also served as a board member for the United Way of Lowndes County and served seven years on the Columbus Municipal School Board of Trustees (2004-2011).
A thorn to the elected officials who were invited, but did not attend Monday’s “Men of Color” town hall meeting at Sim Scott Community Center. The meeting, organized by Supervisor Leroy Brooks, was called to spark a grassroots effort to address many serious issues particularly relevant to the black community. All elected black officials were invited to attend, but only Supervisor Jeff Smith and Councilman Kabir Karriem joined Brooks at the meeting. Unless there was a major scheduling conflict, the black elected officials of the community should have show support for this worthy initiative.
A rose to Main Street Columbus for its new program that will help downtown business owners improve the aesthetics of their buildings by providing grant money. The Facade Improvement Grant Program provides qualifying businesses up to $1,000 for exterior signage, awnings, painting, repairs and renovations, and can include the costs associated with design, labor, and materials. The renaissance of our downtown is a source of pride and encouragement for our community. The new grant proves that Main Street Columbus is not content to rest of those laurels.
A rose to MUW student Quinterrall Brown who has proven to be, quite literally, an enterprising young man. Frustrated in his hunt for a summer job this summer, Brown simply didn’t throw up his hands and quit. Instead, he started his own business, canning and selling jams and jellies. Now a fixture at the Hitching Lot Farmers’ market, Brown has developed quite a following for his products. The 19-year-old hopes to open his own bakery after graduating from MUW’s culinary arts program, but for now he is content to operate his small business part-time as he continues his education.
We applaud Brown for his persistence and creative approach. His is an example to be followed by many young people. Don’t give up, even if it means striking out on your own.
Send your suggestions for Roses and thorns to Slim Smith at [email protected].
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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