Roses and thorns 7/26/09

Curious sports item

Under the strange and very curious heading of “Major League Baseball,” The Commercial Dispatch has seen fit to publish a story entitled ” Mattingly’s son arraigned after spitting on mom” about the 24-year-old son of former major league player Don Mattingly.

Betty Stone: Going back to Bob’s

Anyone who lived in Columbus between 1922 and 1992 probably has some story or memory of Bob’s Place, quintessential drive-in of Columbus and thought to be Mississippi’s first drive-in.

‘$7 million fiasco’

Given the abundance of national news about health care reform, Mississippians may have failed to notice Governor Barbour’s “reform” in their own backyard. He vetoed $7 million that the state would normally provide to community mental health centers to match federal Medicaid funds.

A cosmopolitan conclusion: foreign pilots among CAFB grads

Another graduation at Columbus Air Force Base would have been nothing out of the ordinary — 15 occur per year.

But Friday morning, in Kaye Auditorium, there were five foreigners among the 24 graduates: Roberto C. Yanez Vargas of Ecuador, Miquel J. Gaspar of Portugal, Omar Malas of Jordan, Emmanuel Byaruhanga of Uganda and Omar Al-Nuaimi of Iraq.

MUW combines programs, names new dean for School of Professional Studies

Dr. William “Bill” Mayfield has joined Mississippi University for Women as dean of the School of Professional Studies. This comes as a result of combining the College of Business and Legal Studies and Culinary Arts Institute.

Little Artesia to hold fourth annual Artesia Day

Next weekend, Artesia will have another chance to prove its motto, “The small town that does big things.”

The fourth annual Artesia Day festival will take place on Main Street in downtown Artesia Friday through Sunday. Admission will be free.

First annual Bowlathon to kick off next weekend

Over the next two weekends, the United Way of Lowndes County will hold the first annual Bowlathon at Columbus Lanes.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 1, 2, 8 and 9, each adult can pay $15, and each child can pay $7.50, in exchange for three games of bowling and shoe rental.

Arrest Report 7/22/09

The following people were arrested on felony charges, according to reports released from the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office:

Amid seizures, pit bulls crowd local shelter

Leaders of the Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society are disappointed to see pit bulls taking up so many of the shelter’s cages.

Cadence reports $14.7M loss in second quarter

Starkville-based Cadence Financial Corp. reported a wider-than-expected second-quarter loss, hurt mainly by higher non-interest expenses and provision for bad loans.

Can’t see reason not to consider Burns Bottom

I may have missed something but I have yet to see any real reason to not consider Burns Bottom for the location of the sportsplex.

I have seen flooding as a reason. The problem with that idea is, I have lived here in Burns Bottom since 1992 and have never had my home here on Third Street threatened by flood waters.

‘For women and men’

Sixty years ago MSCW’s Class of ‘49 graduated in early June. As freshmen in September ‘45, we were the largest class ever—over 500 strong.

MSU: Purse snatching claim false

A Mississippi State University student who reported to police that an assailant snatched her purse Sunday evening is now being charged with filing a false report, according to a statement released by the university.

Arrest Report 7/23/09

Police Tuesday arrested a 29-year-old Columbus woman after they learned she may have tried to pass several bad checks at a local retailer.

Monekia Sherrod, of 206 B Browder St. in Columbus, was arrested at her residence by the Columbus Police Department and charged with one count of uttering forgery.

Rezoned pasture reveals divisions

STARKVILLE — As Richard Kaminski strolled about his backyard with a glass of red wine Wednesday, he had a sunset to see and a breeze to praise.

“Isn’t it beautiful here?” asked Kaminski, who lives in the Stonegate subdivision. “That’s why we bought this place.”

Fourth case of swine flu reported in Oktibbeha County

Another case of the H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu, was confirmed in Oktibbeha County last week, bringing the total to four.

The fourth case affected a male child, the director of communications for the State Department of Health, Liz Sharlot, said Wednesday.

Pathetic positions

Last night’s front page featured our supervisors giving their various positions on the Burns Bottom location for the development of soccer fields. The strongest in favor of the site came from Mr. Sanders whose opinion was that he could think of “no better use for the land.”

And that’s the way it was

Twenty-five years ago this month, New Orleans television station WWL sent me to San Francisco to cover the Democratic National Convention. One night at the convention, after finishing my assignment in the CBS News work space at the Moscone Center, I spotted a familiar figure. In the bustle of activity, he stood out, walking aimlessly by himself with shoulders slumped and looking rather dejected. It was Walter Cronkite.

Out-of-town guests

A visit yesterday from a delegation from Guntersville, Ala., only served to remind us of the many assets of this place many of us call home. The group, comprised of public officials and involved citizens, spent a day in Columbus on a fact-finding exchange.