Articles by Carl Smith
First black MSU Student Association president remembered
Kelvin Covington said he remembers his friend, Steven Cooper, whenever he reads his Bible.
Local races on ballot for Tuesday election
While the focus of Tuesday’s general election will be on the U.S. presidential race, Oktibbeha County voters will pick a new Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District trustee and settle two challenged election commissioner races.
Lampkin-Washington intersection under review
Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman said city officials will continue to monitor the intersection of Lampkin and South Washington streets after aldermen decided not to bag its existing traffic signals in favor of a four-way stop configuration.
Aldermen finalize new parks maintenance, sports director jobs
Starkville is expected to hire two new, mid-level Starkville Parks and Recreation Department managers next year after finalizing job descriptions for the new positions and approving their respective advertisements Tuesday.
Starkville storm shelter project halved, expected next year
An anticipated 20,000-square-foot Starkville storm shelter project has been scaled down to half of its original size, Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Agency Director Shank Phelps said.
MSU marketing professor unveils ‘UpTown’ branding for 182 project
Starkville’s Highway 182 redevelopment plan aims to rebrand a portion of the languishing thoroughfare as a vibrant, inclusive area through colorful visuals, improved landscaping and crowd-gathering spaces in an effort to transform the area’s image and help bring about new investments.
Starkville mayor’s house burglarized Thursday
The Starkville Police Department is investigating the recent burglary of Mayor Parker Wiseman’s Longmeadow home.
Barret named interim CEO at Partnership
Heath Barret, Greater Starkville Development Partnership’s director of membership development, will lead the organization as its board of directors searches for a new chief executive officer.
LINK may tweak Oktibbeha Co. industrial park plan
Golden Triangle Development LINK Chief Executive Officer Joe Max Higgins says he’s pleased at the progress local entities are making to develop an almost 400-acre industrial park in Oktibbeha County, but minor changes to the site plan are possible.
Starkville organizers readying annual Pumpkinpalooza
Local and visiting trick-or-treaters and the parents of costumed, ghoulish creatures will gather downtown Friday for Pumpkinpalooza, the Greater Starkville Development Partnership’s annual fall harvest festival and its signature New South Weekends event.
Starkville endorses new staffing study
After addressing minimum pay standards and progression plans this term, the Starkville Board of Aldermen authorized a new staffing study that will position the incoming administration to continue tinkering with personnel issues beyond next year.
Davis ready to begin petition drive for OCH vote
Former Starkville Alderman Frank Davis says he’s once again prepared launch a door-to-door petition drive in Oktibbeha County in an effort to force any potential OCH Regional Medical Center transaction to a countywide vote.
Perkins demands more info on Starkville hires
Ward 6 Alderman Roy A. Perkins wants the mayor and his fellow aldermen to have more information about potential city hires and says department heads will be held accountable if they do not provide full reports to the board in the future.
Stroudwater report: Seek transaction proposals for OCH
After a months-long assessment of OCH Regional Medical Center, consulting firm Stroudwater Associates’ report states supervisors should “explore transactions as soon as is practical” while the hospital continues to improve its sustainability in case a sale or lease option isn’t available.
OCH study results due Monday
Consultants are scheduled to reveal the results of a months-long study of OCH Regional Medical Center next week, and the report is expected to recommend whether supervisors should keep the publicly owned medical facility or explore outside partnerships, a lease or an outright sale of the hospital.
Trainer interested in county leasing abandoned SOCSD campuses
Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Superintendent Lewis Holloway and District 2 Supervisor Orlando Trainer have begun preliminary discussions about the county assuming the leases of two abandoned high school campuses, both men confirmed Wednesday.
Questions remain with Nicholas’ hotel project
The viability of developer Mark Nicholas’ 117-bed hotel project is still unknown after a legal notice scheduling a new foreclosure sale of its 2-acre site next month was published Tuesday.
SOCSD attorney: Stansbury wants rebate on lake lease
Former Mississippi State University men’s basketball coach Rick Stansbury is looking to cut the costs associated with his Oktibbeha County Lake lease, Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School Board Attorney John Hill confirmed Monday.
Wiseman negotiating with preferred HR candidate
Starkville aldermen are expected to formally hire Aramark Higher Education senior resources manager Navarete Ashford as the city’s new human resources director next week, marking the first time the board has reached out of its ranks and hired an external to lead a key department this term.
Banyan sewer line project progressing
Work to upgrade a key Ward 3 sanitation line is entering a second phase of work this week after contractors extended piping about 3,000 feet, said Starkville Utilities General Manager Terry Kemp.
