Our View: Why Narcan training saves lives

When people engage in dangerous activities, there are generally one of two results: judgment or intervention.

Roses and Thorns: 2-21-26

A rose to Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science history students for again helping recognize the history of Columbus through proposals for historic markers. On

Our View: Too pokey on the pokey

Apparently, building a new Oktibbeha County jail is like the weather: Everybody talks about it, but nobody ever does anything about it.

Our View: A confident start at a critical moment

Outside of sparsely-attended school board meetings, Tuesday was one of the first times parents and other stakeholders had a chance to hear from CMSD Superintendent Craig Chapman for any length of time since he took the position.

Our View: The Importance of Being Earned Interest

Oscar Wilde wrote, “I can resist anything but temptation.”

Roses and Thorns: 2-14-26

A rose to the FORGE Foundation, which will be hosting 500 Career & Technical Center (CTC) students for a Forge Your Career Interview Day. The

Our View: In Oktibbeha we have a safe room but an unsafe policy

Brandi Harrington was looking for an explanation and a solution.

What she got were excuses and semantics.

Our View: Renovations begin on Columbus post office

We generally associate “historical” with”old,” yet not all old buildings are historic and not all historic buildings are very old.

Our View: The high cost of inaction at a deadly intersection

One of the most popular video games of the 1980s was a game called “Frogger,” where players used a joystick to make frogs jump as they crossed the road, dodging speeding traffic on multiple lanes.

Roses and Thorns: 2-7-26

A rose to the Golden Triangle Development LINK and its new CEO Iain Vasey. The LINK Board of Directors selected Vasey from a field of

Our View: Why the library remains a community cornerstone

On Saturday, the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library will join thousands of other libraries in a program that would have delighted Benjamin Franklin.

Our View: Addressing the hidden roots of premature death

When Rosie Lee Harris of Columbus celebrated her 103rd birthday Monday, it prompted a familiar question: Why do some people live far beyond the normal life expectancy?

Roses and Thorns: 1-31-26

A rose to the organizations in the Golden Triangle celebrating Black History Month, which begins Monday. Communities across the country mark the month with educational

Our View: Autonomy is the key to securing MSMS’ future

Since it began operations in the fall of 1988, the Mississippi School for Math and Science has occupied an awkward place in the state’s public education system. Along with the other residential high school, the Mississippi School of the Arts, MSMS exists as a ward of the state’s Department of Education. It has no school board, no local funding source and owns no property.

Our View: A delicate balance for Oktibbeha County’s future

One of the appeals of living outside the city limits is that property owners can do pretty much as they please with their land. That is also one of the negatives associated with rural life.

Roses and Thorns: 1-24-26

A rose to Rep. Dana McLean of Columbus, who was recognized this week as an “Angel of the Year” by the nonprofit Center for Violence

Our View: SMART Transit proves its value

We most often associate bus services with big cities, where buses play a key role in managing traffic flow by reducing the number of private vehicles on city streets. Bus services can be important in small cities, too, providing transportation for the disabled and those without access to private vehicles. Buses provide those citizens with easier access to jobs, doctors’ offices, hospitals, grocery stores, shops and even airports.

Our View: A new public face for CAFB

The mission of Columbus Air Force Base is such that most of the young Air Force personnel live in our community for only a short period of time.

Our View: Brunch in the Bible Belt

When the city of Starkville considers making changes to citywide ordinances, it is standard procedure for the board to hold two public meetings before the Board of Aldermen puts the matter to a vote. It’s good policy to allow citizens to have their say. Quite often, a suggestion from a citizen makes the final result better.

Roses and Thorns: 1-17-26

A rose to all those in our community who are organizing, volunteering and participating in the various events planned for Martin Luther King Day on