Articles by Dispatch Editorial Board
Our View: Let’s have a less-nasty municipal election
For the first time this century, there will be no incumbent running for mayor in the city of Columbus when voters go to the polls next spring.
Roses and thorns: 9-28-24
A rose to Lowndes County School District’s Career Technology Center (CTC) for creating a “Big Brothers, Big Sisters” mentorship program designed to help students stay
Our View: With road work, ‘no pain, no gain’ holds true
For athletes, there is a mantra that provides encouragement as they endure the rigors of hard training in pursuit of better performance: “No pain, no gain.”
Roses and Thorns: 9-21-24
A rose to 100+ Women Who Care Columbus, whose remarkable philanthropic efforts are now being studied by women’s college students at The Mississippi University of
Our View: Communication is key in suicide prevention
September was designated as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in 2008 but is today probably more relevant than it was at its inception.
Our View: Potential K-Mart tenant is further cause for optimism
Six years ago, two major parcels along Highway 45 South in Columbus, the city’s major retail corridor, were becoming ghost towns.
Roses and thorns: 9-14-24
A rose to organizers, volunteers and performers for putting together the Tennessee Williams Tribute this week. It’s the 23rd year of events celebrating America’s greatest
Our View: Golden Triangle Theatre and The W: A great pairing
Some organizations take a “Field Of Dreams” approach to growth. (If you build it, they will come.) Others employ a “Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters’’ approach (We’ve built it, now we’ll go get them.)
Our View: Hell to pay over tone-deaf council pay raise
As Columbus homeowners are being hit with a 21% property tax increase, the mayor and city council Thursday will be discussing pay raises for themselves, perhaps as much as 14% over their current pay and a whopping 65% increase since September 2022.
Roses & Thorns: 9-7-24
A rose to the Lowndes County Sports Hall of Fame, which has announced a date, venue and ticket prices for its inaugural induction ceremony. The
Our View: Oktibbeha County unwise to use reserves for recurring expenses
The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors held a work session Tuesday devoted to setting its 2025 budget. Unless there is a significant change of heart on the part of the supervisors, the county is prepared to spend more than it takes in, which is never a good idea, especially at a time when the economy is thriving.
Our View: DA should continue to aggressively prosecute witness tampering cases
When a person is sent to prison, one of the first lessons to be learned is that the prison has its own society, with rules established not just by prison authorities but by the prisoners themselves.
Roses and Thorns: 8-31-24
A rose to the unsung heroes of our nation, aka, the American workers, as we celebrate Labor Day weekend. Established as a federal holiday in
Our View: Twilight Zone tax hike: Is the city acting more conservatively than the county?
Due to a state-mandated revaluing of real estate that hits Lowndes County this year, taxpayers throughout the county are facing substantial property tax bumps next fiscal year. To protect taxpayers from this increase, local governments have to take action to reduce their millage rate.
Our View: Book festival: great for Columbus, great for our literary legacy
When Books-A-Million abruptly closed in May of 2020, leaving Columbus without a bookstore, it wasn’t just the exodus of another Leigh Mall business.
Our View: Upset your property taxes are increasing? Point your finger at the county and CMSD, not just the city of Columbus
When this paper reported Columbus property owners were facing a 21% bump in property tax bills next year, readers were understandably outraged.
Roses and thorns: 8-24-24
A rose to Starkville mayor Lynn Spruill and the Board of Aldermen for sacrificing pay raises to help the city provide equipment for its police
Our View: Redistricting approval should happen sooner rather than later
For most people, the voting process is viewed as a one-day event.
Our View: New positions should take a back seat to raising pay for existing city employees
For local governments, budgeting is never an exact science. There are just too many variables that have to be estimated, which is a strong inducement for governments to be conservative in their revenue projections and take more of a worst-case approach to expenses.
Roses and thorns: 8-17-24
A rose to the Columbus Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is kicking off a new advertising and marketing campaign, built around a new slogan,
Letter: SCOTUS to lower courts: Solve less, exempt more
July 17, 2025
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