Articles by Abigail Sipe Rochester
Ask the Dispatch: What’s going on for the Fourth of July?
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. Every year since, Americans have commemorated the anniversary of the signing as Independence Day.
Longtime local waiter becomes first Del Rendon artist-in-residence
Nate Pugh spent nearly 20 years waiting tables at local restaurants. But after a decade away, he returned to the city two weeks ago as
Dispatch takes home 18 press association awards
The Dispatch took home 18 awards, including second in General Excellence and five first-place honors in its class, during the Mississippi Press Association’s annual Better
TWT gears up for annual tribute with open auditions
The Columbus Arts Council and Tennessee Williams Tribute are once again working together to bring one of Williams’ plays to the stage. But first, they need a cast.
Animal shelters overwhelmed; heat making problem worse
A litter of seven puppies sits trapped in a bucket under the hot sun, unable to escape the heat. If a Clay County Animal Control officer hadn’t found them, things could have ended much worse for them.
Three arrested in Saturday night Econo Lodge auto burglaries
Three people, including a juvenile, are behind bars after a series of Saturday night auto burglaries in hotel parking lots.
Woman charged with mayhem for biting off victim’s fingertip
A woman turned herself in Tuesday after biting the tip of another woman’s finger off earlier this month, according to Columbus Police Department.
Tacos so nice, you’ll eat them twice
Anyone who has been reading this column knows that I love slow cookers.
Man charged with stealing truck from Lowe’s parking lot
A man was arrested for allegedly stealing a truck from the Lowe’s parking lot on Highway 12 over the weekend.
Starkville secures $20M for Hwy 182 revitalization
Highway 182 revitalization is rolling forward, as the city received another $20 million grant Friday to cover the project’s still-fluctuating price tag.
Woman charged with first-degree murder in fatal stabbing
A woman faces a first-degree murder charge in connection to a Sunday morning fatal stabbing on Barton Ferry Road.
Ask The Dispatch: Your questions answered about progress at Columbus Place
For more than 50 years, the giant building at 1404 Old Aberdeen Road has been a mall. But how that mall has looked has changed drastically over the past few years.
Columbus native takes home ‘exquisite’ crown at Georgia pageant
When Mesina Jones Alvarez first competed in pageants on the Columbus church circuit as a teenager, most of the competition was about putting on a pretty dress and performing some kind of talent.
Lawsuit: Disability Rights Mississippi unlawfully barred from Palmer Home property
Disability Rights Mississippi is taking Palmer Home for Children to court, after Palmer Home denied the other nonprofit, acting as the state’s protection and advocacy system, access to its children and campus.
Saturday conference to focus on Black men’s mental health
After losing her father to suicide in 2019, Camillia Harris decided she never wanted another man to lose hope again. Instead, she wanted to offer Black men a “safe space” to know they were not alone.
Two men hold Dollar General manager at gunpoint, take off with cash
Sheriff’s deputies are seeking two suspects who robbed a Dollar General in Artesia at gunpoint Tuesday night.
Cursed musical comedy spans time and space
A curse strikes a chaotic medieval kingdom. Little does the kingdom know, that curse will affect the near and far-off future, striking a modern high school battle of the bands competition, and eventually, a distant planet of space cowboys and aliens.
Lemon loaf cake practically eats itself
Growing up in Mississippi, I hated having a summer birthday.
New commander takes charge at Columbus Air Force Base
If there’s anything the new commander of the Columbus Air Force Base can take from his predecessor, it’s to leave Columbus better than he found it.
Kids learn life-saving skills during Junior Fire Academy camp
While most summer camps are all about kids having fun, not all can claim to help save lives.
