Betty Stone: Jaunt to Memphis

Churches have gotten so enthusiastic about taking care of their elderly (not elders) that some of the “old folks” are running around with their tongues hanging out, trying to keep up with the social schedule. I was talking to someone the other day who was going to a church covered-dish supper for their “Over Fifty” group. She and her husband were taking enough food to feed at least 15. Whether they are “Fifty, Sixty, or Seventy Plus,” “Senior Class,” or “Keenagers,” they are busy.

Local students to celebrate Walk to School Day

West Point and Columbus students will commemorate Walk to School Day Oct. 7 by walking or riding their bikes to school, or taking time out for a walk during the day.

MSMS students named National Merit semifinalists

Students from Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science were named as semifinalists in the 2010 National Achievement Scholarship Program.

Two Columbus restaurants close

Two Columbus restuarants are closing their doors this week.

The Santa Fe Cattle Co. on 18th Avenue North closed Thursday after its parent company filed for bankruptcy in July, and Mississippi Coffeehouse on Main Street is closing today.

Columbus man ‘fine’ after bike accident

A Columbus man reported being “fine” after hitting the back of a car on his bicycle Thursday afternoon downtown.

“I’m fine; nothing’s broken,” Louis Mutch said as a emergency responder worked to secure his neck, in preparation for transport to the hospital.

Gov says ‘dismal’ revenues mean more cuts likely

Mississippi’s tax collections fell 10 percent short of expectations in September, and Republican Gov. Haley Barbour said more budget cuts are coming in the remaining nine months of the fiscal year.

“These dismal facts reinforce what I said earlier,” Barbour, on a business trip in Asia, said in a written statement. “It is likely that more spending cuts will be necessary in this fiscal year to ensure a balanced state budget. The fact that state law will not permit me to cut any agency more than 5 percent until every agency is cut at least 5 percent may present some additional challenges.”

Come on, Columbus: Let’s go smoke-free

It’s time to reconsider an anti-smoking ordinance in Columbus’ public spaces, including in restaurants and bars.

Navistar: Workers had warning of layoffs

WEST POINT — Employees at West Point’s Navistar plant had advance notice their jobs would be cut, said a company spokesperson.

Navistar officials Friday announced 80 employees were cut from the West Point staff, leaving about 120 people working at the facility off Eshman Avenue, which produces mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles.

Aliceville will try to take over top spot

Robin Tyra’s goal as coach of the Aliceville High School football team is to win region and state championships.

Aliceville can take a step toward winning the Alabama High School Activities Association Class 3A, Region 4 championship Friday when it travels to Cordova.

Columbus murder suspect awaits mental evaluation

A man accused of murdering his wife in March remains incarcerated, as he awaits mental evaluation.

George Pate, 56, is being held at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center, a Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputy confirmed Tuesday.

Caledonia man arrested for making meth

A Lowndes County man ended up behind bars after leading police on a chase through the town of Caledonia, Tuesday.

Sheriff’s deputies and narcotics agents visited John Jay Walters’ Caledonia home Tuesday to arrest him for violation of probation.

Honored humanitarian passes away

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Shields Sims was known for his devotion to community service in Columbus, including 50 years at Columbus First United Methodist Church, nearly 40 years of service in the military and decades of work with organizations such as the Columbus Housing Authority and Columbus-Lowndes United Way.

Navistar lays off 80 more workers

WEST POINT — A county already stricken with one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, got another dose of bad news Friday: Navistar cut about 80 employees from its staff.

West Point now needs to fill two key city positions

WEST POINT — West Point City Clerk Robin Perry has stepped down after less than three months on the job.

Missing man found in Grenada

STARKVILLE — An Oktibbeha County man who went missing Monday afternoon was found safe and sound Tuesday in Grenada.

Baldwin bright spot for Kentucky Wesleyan football team

Through four games this seasson, the only direction the Kentucky Wesleyan football team can go is up.

That’s because the Panthers have lost their first four games by a combined score of 177-58.

But Kentucky Wesleyan senior linebacker Kevin Baldwin isn’t letting his team’s slow start get him down.

Baldwin, a 2006 graduate of Columbus High School and a transfer from Itawamba Community College in Fulton, believes the Panthers are capable of salvaging what’s left of the season.

Rob Hardy: Poseidon’s Steed

Probably you have never seen a seahorse in the wild. Even Dr. Helen Scales, who is a scuba diver and marine biologist, has only seen them a few times. The first one she saw, after many dives of looking, was “like glimpsing a unicorn trotting through my garden.” But everyone knows what a seahorse looks like, a fantastic looking creature that sparks curiosity, and it is a hit at aquariums or in oceanic picture books. Scales has satisfied many facets of the curiosity about seahorses in her book “Poseidon’s Steed: The Story of Seahorses, from Myth to Reality” (Gotham Books).

Noxubee launches high-speed Internet initiative

Working since June with a consortium of 41 Mississippi counties currently under-served with the technology, officials with the Noxubee Economic and Community Development Alliance have launched an initiative to provide high-speed Internet access to all residents of Noxubee County.

Appalled by damage to campus landscaping

This morning as I drove onto campus, I was appalled at the condition of the green spaces on our campus. The green spaces that our campus is known for; the green spaces that prospective student and their parents talk about being one of the most beautiful they have visited. The pride and joy that many on this campus have worked hard to preserve (Remember the daffodils?)— destroyed!

New coin unacceptable

Today I received an e-mail from a friend of mine with a picture of the new one dollar coin with Washington’s picture on it. No problem with that except it has the words “In God We Trust” missing from the coin. Most people if handed one of these for change are refusing to accept it. Way to go my people.