Articles by Dispatch Editorial Board
Roses and thorns: 10-11-25
A rose to the Columbus City Council for considering whether to retain its lobbying firm, which costs the city $72,000 annually. A motion to end
Preserve your American story for history’s sake
Through information provided by public records, statistical data, photographs, maps, letters, diaries and other materials, historians can tell us the whos, whats, whens, wheres and whys of an event. What is often missing from these histories is the answer to another question: What was it like?
Our View: A little magic in the Golden Triangle this weekend
The Golden Triangle is blessed with an abundance of special events — from big productions that draw thousands of visitors, such as the Market Street Festival in Columbus, the Cotton District Arts Festival in Starkville, and the Prairie Arts Festival in West Point, to smaller, more intimate gatherings.
Our View: Guest and Kelly mum on rails-to-trails legislation
It’s probably hard for people today to understand the importance of railroads prior to the 1950s.
Our View: Keeping city’s parking lot is the right call
For years, the city-owned parking lot located at the northeast corner of Sixth Street South and College Street next to the First Methodist church in Columbus has mostly been used by the church.
Roses and thorns: 10-4-25
A rose to the Columbus City Council which voted unanimously to opt out a new law that targets panhandlers by requiring them to obtain a
Our View: With AI, it’s time for old dogs to learn new tricks
Man has used technology since the first stone tools were invented, but today new technology seems to emerge constantly. Obviously, not everyone uses every technology
Our View: Government shutdown will hit Mississippians hard
There are few states more likely to be watching what happens now that the federal government has been shut down than Mississippi.
Our View: Grant and Lincoln presidential collections remind us of the importance of a united nation
When the Grant Foundation’s collection of the papers and mementos of Ulysses S. Grant was moved from Southern Illinois University to Mississippi State in 2008, it might have easily been considered a novelty that quickly faded from public attention.
Roses and thorns: 9-27-25
A rose to everyone who helped, for now, preserve the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science on the MUW campus. This week’s announcement from Mississippi
Our View: Donating locally builds stronger communities
Over the years, the Golden Triangle has developed a strong support network of nonprofits that serve those who struggle to find their way back into society.
Our View: Adaptation and community service carries the Y forward
On Oct. 30, 1929 – six days after the stock market crash that would plunge the nation into the Great Depression – the successful completion of the building fundraising campaign for the Columbus YMCA touched off a celebration the likes of which the city had never seen. Reports of the day noted that hundreds of people poured out into the streets. Church bells pealed. Fire alarms were set off, automobile horns blasted and train whistles blew.
Roses and thorns: 9-20-25
A rose to Mississippi University for Women, for its inclusion in the “25 Best-in-Class Colleges” list, a selection of stand-out institutions from the Washington Monthly’s
Our View: Discipline – not district handouts – is needed for OCH money
Oktibbeha County is about to experience something most counties never do: a windfall of roughly $40 million from the sale of OCH Regional Medical Center. That is, by any measure, an extraordinary sum. What the supervisors choose to do with it could help shape the county for generations.
Our View: On Friday night, catch our kids doing something good
There is an old saying that the best bosses make a habit of catching their workers doing something good, then praising them for that behavior.
Roses and Thorns: 9-13-25
A rose to East Mississippi Community College, which continues to see an increase in enrollment. While enrollment at the state’s two-year colleges is up across
Our View: Parkview brings fresh optimism to Columbus’ Burns Bottom
It’s been an awfully long time since anyone accused Columbus of being over-confident, so the genuine enthusiasm that has accompanied the Parkview project at Burns Bottom is refreshing.
Roses and thorns: 9-6-25
A rose to the renewal of the Starkville–West Point football rivalry, which returned to the field last Friday after a six-year hiatus. It was their
Our View: What’s to be gained from mayor’s planned antisemitism conference?
Most local governments open official business during their meetings with something called a consent agenda. The practice streamlines meetings by grouping routine business or other non-controversial items into a single motion that all board or council members approve without discussion. Generally, it is useful because it allows the officials to dispense with mundane tasks quickly so they can move on to more important matters.
Roses and thorns: 8-30-25
A rose to the Golden Triangle Development LINK executive committee for its responsiveness to the public regarding the termination of CEO Joe Max Higgins. Initially,
