Articles by Dispatch Editorial Board
Roses and thorns: 7-22-23
A rose to students, teachers and staff as the new school year kicks off. The first day of school begins for students in Starkville on
Our View: When budgeting revenues, cities are wise to be conservative
Generally, we like the people we elect to manage our local governments to be optimists. A positive outlook promotes creativity, problem-solving and cooperation.
Our View: Unchecked power can be a corrupting influence
An investigative report by The New York Times and the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting at Mississippi Today, published in today’s edition of The Dispatch, found that during his 11 years in office, Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott has repeatedly been accused of using the power of his position to harass women, coerce them into sex and retaliate against those who criticize him or allege abuse.
Roses and thorns: 7-15-23
A rose to Columbus city officials, business owners and residents for their collaboration and careful deliberations of the idea of establishing a “Red Cup District”
Our View: Turnage’s position blocks citizens from participating in local government
The right to petition the government is a right enumerated in the U.S. Constitution, but its roots go much further back than that – to English law of the 17th century. Although Mississippi’s Supreme Court has callously denied that right at the state level since 2021, that right remains at the local level.
Roses and thorns: 7-8-23
A rose of remembrance for legendary Mississippi State football player Johnie Cooks, who died Thursday at age 64. Cooks, who played middle linebacker at MSU
Our View: A good day for local government
This week, the week of Independence Day, several of our local governments held their regular meetings, all of them open to the public, naturally.
Our View: Mississippi’s third grade reading ‘miracle’ may need work to be sustained
In 2013, Mississippi passed the Literacy Based Promotion Act, which required all third graders read at grade-level to advance to the fourth grade.
Roses and thorns: 7-1-23
A rose to Mississippi University for Women’s nursing school, which had three of its programs rated as best in the state of Mississippi and in
Our View: ‘Done Right Day’ for MUW sports
Almost from the moment he arrived as president of Mississippi University for Women in 2011, Jim Borsig set his sights on returning intercollegiate sports to the university, which had disbanded its athletics programs in 2003.
Our View: Local government shouldn’t operate like an egg-timer
A three-year contract turns into a one-year commitment. A request for a 10-year tax abatement is approved for just two years.
Our View: More structure needed when granting tax abatements
The idea of offering tax abatements for new economic development projects is not a new idea. Local governments use tax abatements to encourage new development by freezing property taxes at pre-renovation levels for a set amount of time.
Roses and thorns: 6-17-23
A rose to all the dads out there on Father’s Day weekend. We promise not to get all mushy about it (dads generally hate that),
Our View: Preserving a piece of Americana
You can still spot a “See Rock City” message painted on a handful of barns across Tennessee, although the Burma Shave signs and their humorous
Our View: Working among others allows for cross-pollination of ideas
For small businesses and start-ups, every penny counts, which is the idea behind Mississippi State E-center’s plans to provide shared workspaces for companies at the former Cadence bank building in downtown Starkville.
Roses and thorns: 6-10-23
A rose to Major Allen Williams, who has transformed the Air Force Junior ROTC at Columbus High School into a dynamic program that offers students
Our View: Lumber manufacturer brings needed jobs to Noxubee County
When you consider the history of economic development in Noxubee County, it’s a pretty short list.
Our View: Citizens benefit when county and city collaborate
As a general rule, when county and city governments work together it benefits all residents. By contrast, when the working relationship between the county and
Our View: Council should not turn down county aid for mowing MDOT rights-of-way
On Monday, the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors made a tempting offer to the Columbus City Council to resolve a dispute over Mississippi Department of Transportation right-of-way maintenance at highway interchanges inside city limits.
Our View: Soft-opening at Cornerstone Park was a wise decision
Back when Mike Tyson was the terror of heavyweight boxing and his opponents were strategizing on how to attack him, Tyson dismissed the talk, observing, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
Chain’s life in the water leads to a lap around Key West
July 19, 2025
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