Arrest Report 6/18/09

Three local men are in jail today after they were arrested this week on weapons theft charges by the Columbus Police Department.

The CPD Monday arrested Antonio Markell Gregory, 24, of 808 17th St. N in Columbus, and Bryant Reshawn Thompson, 23, of 1513 Fifth Ave. N. in Columbus, and charged each with felony counts of grand larceny. Gregory also was charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Keeton named interim chancellor for health affairs at UMMC

A Columbus native, Dr. James Keeton, has been named as the interim vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

College Board raises dorm fees, tuition for out-of-state students

A sharply divided state college board today went with university presidents� pleas and voted to raise room-and-board charges imposed on students. However, the board turned down presidents� requests to increase tuition for Mississippi residents in the next school year.

The sweet smell of success

Tom Reed loved efficiency, but he could only do so much.

Reed had partially owned a factory in Indiana where people made candle-making equipment. He knew the candle industry, but since he didn’t sell directly to vendors, his understanding was limited.

Main Street gets accreditation for fifth consecutive year

Main Street Columbus has met state and national accreditation standards for yet another year.

The National Trust Main Street Center has been accrediting Main Street programs throughout the United States for five years now. This year, the center accredited 750 programs, including the one in Columbus, marking the fifth consecutive year Main Street Columbus has received the center’s accreditation.

Bounds: Role spans more than colleges

JACKSON — Hank Bounds will become Mississippi universities’ chief executive next month, but he said he won’t lose too much of his focus on elementary-secondary education, where he’s spent his whole career until now.

College Board considers tuition, dorm increases

JACKSON — The state College Board and university presidents continued their discussions this morning about raising tuition and room-and-board charges.

IRS offers tax credit guidance to businesses   

Businesses planning to claim the newly-expanded work opportunity tax credit for eligible unemployed veterans and unskilled younger workers hired during the first part of 2009 have until Aug. 17 to request the certification required for these workers, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

SBA to offer floor plan financing

The U.S. Small Business Administration will offer government guaranteed loans to finance inventory for eligible auto, recreational vehicle, boat and other dealerships under a new pilot program announced recently by SBA Administrator Karen Mills. Dealer Floor Plan financing will be available beginning July 1, according to Mills.

Southern Ionics announces corporate staff changes

Milton O. Sundbeck Jr., president and CEO of Southern Ionics Inc., recently announced organizational changes in the corporate office management staff in West Point.

Charging ahead

It is disappointing, though not surprising that the Lowndes Supervisors are charging ahead with the Burns Bottom site for a soccer complex. At their Monday meeting, the supervisors announced plans to begin acquiring options to purchase land for that purpose. Joe Higgins of the Link has been activated for the task.

Stacy Hester

One could write about Stacy Hester until the arm ached, and apparently some have. But let me be very brief. In fact, let’s put this in Barney Fife format:

‘An awful idea’

Building a sports complex in Burns Bottom is an awful idea. What happens when downtown needs to expand? Burns Bottom would be an ideal location of adding shops, apartments, restaurants, etc. to the downtown landscape. Six measly soccer/football fields would take away expansion needs from downtown, but at the same time, as the city of Columbus grows, the sportsplex will eventually need to also.

Notorious for flooding

Birney, good column in Sunday’s paper, as well as the other one in which you wrote about the Burns Bottom location for the six soccer fields.

Roger Short: The time has come to act

As I sat in church this past Sunday morning, I found it difficult to concentrate on worship—sorry Brother Mickey— because of so many thoughts I was having about the proposed soccer/footballplex. I found myself thinking of reasons to defend the many hours that have gone into the process that has led us to where we are now.

Johnson selected to play with Notre Dame alumni team

Coming out of high school, Jay Johnson was good enough in the eyes of Lou Holtz to play football at Notre Dame.

Johnson signed with Notre Dame after playing on back-to-back undefeated state championship teams at Starkville High School, and went on to letter as a receiver from 1997-2000.

Nine years after donning the gold helmet of the Irish, Johnson again is good enough in the eyes of Holtz to represent Notre Dame on the football field.

For first time in 50 years, Afghan military pilot trains at American base

For the first time in over half a century, an Afghan military officer received American pilot wings.

During a ceremony at Columbus Air Force Base on Friday, Col. Roger Watkins presented Lt. Faiz Mohammed Ramaki of the Afghan National Army Air Corps with silver U.S. Air Force wings.

MUW summer enrollment up

Summer enrollment at Mississippi University for Women is up by 13.76 percent and Mississippi State University also has seen an increase in its summer student population.

Board takes steps to keep salaries in check

STARKVILLE — Starkville School District officials took measures to keep salaries in check for the coming school year and approved some changes in bond issue construction across the district.

Rob Hardy: Origins of the obelisk

The ancient Egyptians hardly knew how influential they would be when they put up obelisks. Pyramids are, of course, more impressive, but if you build a pyramid, it is going to stay where you put it no matter what. Obelisks may weigh hundreds of tons, but they are still to some extent portable, and they have been exported, to various world capitals for various reasons.