Articles by Dispatch Editorial Board
Our View: The importance of including more than the old plantation narrative
Those who attended Tuesday evening’s screening of the documentary film “Natchez” in Columbus may have been struck with the notion that it could just as easily have been a screening of “Columbus” held in Natchez.
Our View: For the 34th time, International Fiesta shows the strength of diversity
It has been said that when classes at Mississippi State are in session, Starkville is the most diverse city in the state. For the 2025-26 school year, the enrollment includes students from 95 foreign nations, who are drawn to the university for its STEM and research-intensive fields.
Roses and Thorns: 4-11-26
A rose to the cities of Columbus and Starkville which, with support from Mississippi State University, are giving their Black cemeteries the attention they deserve
Our View: The W needs a fighter for a fraught new era; make your voice heard
On Tuesday, Mississippi’s Institutions of Higher Learning will hold a pair of listening sessions on the MUW campus as the process of replacing Nora Miller as the university president begins.
Our View: Artemis II revives dreams and memories
If you were a kid growing up in the 1960s, chances are you wanted to be an astronaut when you grew up. In fact, being an astronaut was the top dream job for kids, ahead of occupations like teacher or TV cowboy.
Roses and thorns: 4-4-26
A rose to everyone on this Easter weekend, which is the biggest holiday that isn’t actually a federal holiday. Half of the U.S. population attends
Our View: A wider lens for tourism in Columbus and Lowndes County
When you think of tourism in Columbus and Lowndes County, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the abundance of historic homes and structures that are featured in the annual Columbus Spring Pilgrimage, which will be held April 7 through April 19. Tales from the Crypt and Catfish in the Alley also coincide with Pilgrimage.
Our View: When a school letter grade tells the wrong story
It may seem almost quaint now, but there was a time not all that long ago that parents clearly understood what an “A” or “C” or “F” meant. It was a simple method of holding students – and schools – accountable.
Roses and Thorns: 3-28-26
A rose to the 2026 Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite Series, which wraps up its four-day competition on Sunday at the Columbus Marina. The event is
Our View: The LINK seems to be in good hands
When the Golden Triangle Development LINK parted ways with Joe Max Higgins – the only CEO the organization had ever had – it is fair to say the LINK Board wasn’t looking for another Higgins.
Our View: Honoring the T-1A’s service
Let’s be honest: No kid has ever grown up wanting to be a cargo pilot. There aren’t any Tom Cruise movies about a pilot who refuels the fighters and bombers. When assignments are made for what type of aircraft the student pilots at Columbus Air Force Base will complete their training on, tankers are not their top preference.
Roses and thorns: 3-21-26
A rose to spring, which officially arrived Friday. Charles Dickens described spring as the time of year when it’s winter in the shade and summer
Our View: Kratom needs clear rules, not patchwork bans
Six years ago, Lowndes County enacted a ban on the sale of kratom throughout the county. At the time, it was the sixth Mississippi county to ban kratom sales.
Our View: Columbus’ residential real estate landscape could soon look much different
Efforts to address blighted property in Columbus have moved slowly.
Roses and Thorns: 3-14-26
A rose to Zachary’s owner Doug Pellum, his staff an the Lowndes County Humane Society for spreading the wealth from Sunday’s St. Patrick’s Day Pawty.
Roses and Thorns: 3-7-26
A rose to The Columbus-Lowndes Airport, which has been approved for a grant to add a museum honoring Alva Temple and the Tuskegee Airmen to
Our View: Nothing to do? Not this weekend
One of the benefits of living in a small city is that you’re not likely to suffer from overstimulation.
Roses and thorns: 2-28-26
A rose to all the organizers and volunteers who devoted their energies to celebrating Black History Month as it comes to an end this year.
Our View: Level 3 trauma designation in Oktibbeha signals a promise kept
One of the reasons some counties have been reluctant to sell their county-owned hospital is that citizens lose whatever leverage they had as owners. Once the hospital changes hands, all the decision-making power lies in the hands of the new owners who are free to do with the hospital as they wish.
Our View: More state education news worth celebrating
In 2014, Mississippi initiated its third-grade gate program in an effort to improve reading scores by retaining third-graders who could not pass the state reading tests.
