Our View: This isn’t the first time schools have taken the reins on a major problem

There has never been a time in our country where education has faced a greater challenge.

Our View: NAACP’s letter takes wrong approach

A recent letter from the Columbus-Lowndes NAACP to some 400 Lowndes County businesses has become a subject of debate.

Our View: We’re not giving passes to elected officials

Whenever a controversial topic emerges in a community, scrutiny of how the news media reports on the subject often emerges.

Roses and thorns: 7-5-20

A rose to “Fair Food To Geaux,” which has set up shop across the old K-Mart location on Highway 45 location. Operated by Crescent City

Our View: Wearing masks is the least we can do

A couple of months ago, there was hope the COVID-19 pandemic would stall out during the heat of summer. That hasn’t happened.

Our View: One final act of service for Harry Sanders

Tuesday was the day many in our community held their breath.

It was the day many of us hoped Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders would perform one more act of service for the community.

Our View: What comes next is on us

Sunday, the Mississippi Legislature did in the span of four hours what seemed virtually impossible as recently as a month ago. Mississippi will have a new flag, perhaps before the end of the year, after both the Senate and the House voted resoundingly to remove the current flag, with its conspicuous Confederate imagery.

Roses and thorns: 6-28-20

A rose to our school administrators who face the incredibly difficult challenge of preparing for the 2020-21 school year, which is set to begin in

Our View: State health officer’s warning should be signal to re-double efforts

On Tuesday, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the state’s health officer told Jackson Free Press he is “anticipating an absolute disaster” in the fall, when a second surge of COVID-19 arrives. When asked what Mississippians should be preparing for in the fall, he said, “Prepare for not being able to get into the hospital if you have a car wreck, (to) have a heart attack and there not be a ventilator to put you on.“

Our View: Black history is our history

If you were to somehow be able to spread Mississippi’s history out on a table, the first thing you would notice is a gaping hole in it. It would not be inaccurate to describe it as a black hole.

Our View: These remain our neighbors

When we pause for a moment of introspection, most of us will admit we are not quite ourselves these days.

Our View: Hosemann has likely killed flag change legislation

The effort to change Mississippi’s controversial state flag through legislation is likely over. Its demise comes from a somewhat unexpected source.

Our View: A monument isn’t the only thing that should be removed from the courthouse

During Monday’s Lowndes County Board of Supervisors meeting, Scott Volland, a local pastor, appealed to the supervisors to remove the Confederate memorial from the courthouse grounds.

Roses and thorns: 6-14-20

A rose to the citizens we’ve seen out picking up trash from our streets and roadways. In recent weeks we’ve seen couples patrolling downtown streets

Our View: Public deserves to know where lawmakers stand on issues

Thursday night, the Oktibbeha County NAACP held its regular monthly meeting and chapter president Yulana Haddix moved quickly through the regular agenda to leave as much time as possible for a discussion on the hottest topic in the state right now: The status of the Mississippi flag.

Our View: After the marches…

Over the past two weeks, protests and marches demanding racial justice have swept the country. In small towns, large cities and everything in between, consciences have been stirred and hope renewed.

Roses and thorns: 6-7-20

A rose to organizers and participants in Saturday’s March for Justice in Starkville, which had a tremendous turnout. This was the latest in a series

Our View: Weekend event provides opportunities to stand together against racial injustice

This weekend, there will be events in both Columbus and Starkville to raise awareness of the racial inequality in our nation. We hesitate to call them “protests,” because the word conveys only one aspect of what these events are intended to represent.

Our View: Now is the perfect time for sincere, symbolic action

The past two weeks have been a painful, but necessary, period of self-examination in our nation. The death of George Floyd at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer, along with other recent unjustified killings of black citizens, has promoted protests throughout the nation, many of which have led to mindless acts of destruction and violence.

Our View: Public and press prevail in pursuit of LTC names

Jefferson understood how critical it was that our leaders be held accountable to the people and the best tool to achieve that was through the media of his day, an independent voice protected specifically in the U.S. Constitution.