Articles by Cullen Paradis
Spruill outraised opponents by 10 times, most from her own pocket
Incumbent Lynn Spruill has outspent her opponents more than 10 times combined ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary.
Second Starkville man sentenced this week for Glock switch
A Starkville man was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for possession and transfer of a “Glock switch,” a device that converts a semi-automatic handgun to fully automatic.
Cornerstone wetlands slated as home for arboretum
The first question Bob Brzuszek usually gets from people who read that Starkville is getting an arboretum is how to pronounce the word.
Starkville to take lead in multi-agency task force to tackle human trafficking
No one expects human trafficking to happen in their city. But just because it doesn’t always look the way it does in movies doesn’t mean it can’t happen in the Golden Triangle.
Baptist, North Mississippi confirm they bid on OCH
Baptist Memorial Health Care and North Mississippi Health Services have both submitted offers to acquire the Oktibbeha County owned OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville.
Potential OCH buyers meet with supes behind closed doors
Supervisors met in executive session Wednesday with representatives of at least two parties interested in acquiring OCH Regional Medical Center.
Demand for backyard chickens doubles amid soaring egg prices
Terry Thomlinson, the Oktibbeha County Farmers’ Cooperative pet manager, faced a problem this week. People were simply buying chickens too fast.
Community Profile: Hickmon once went to Prairie Opportunity for help. Now he’s executive director
When Fredrick Hickmon was coming of age in Nanih Waiya, a rural area near Louisville, working on farms felt like the only option he had – even though the pay was bad and the conditions were worse.
Columbus gas rupture Wednesday prompts temporary evacuation
Several citizens returned to their homes Wednesday after an hour-long evacuation due to a ruptured gas line, which some said sounded like an explosion.
$500M Hope solar project being considered for Clay
A new roughly $500 million solar development north of West Point is up for public review, giving residents a better idea of what the project would look like as well as a chance to tell the Tennessee Valley Authority whether they think it’s a good investment.
County waits for engineers on dam while grant funding remains uncertain
While the county once hoped to have a clear path for repairs of the Oktibbeha County Lake dam by December, supervisors are still awaiting approved engineering plans before making a decision about their options.
Starkville Democratic forum pits new blood versus establishment
Democratic municipal election candidates locked horns and solidified their messaging in a Thursday candidate forum at the Sportsplex, with challengers sharpening their criticisms of the sitting board and mayor.
DOGE cuts felt in Columbus; IRS office to close
Columbus is in the crosshairs of Department of Government Efficiency spending cuts, with impacts stretching from tax services to infrastructure upgrades.
Road manager: 20% of Oktibbeha roads surveyed get an F
Officials are reviewing county roads and finding many in worse shape than anticipated, raising questions about how the county can repair them on a limited budget.
High winds blow roof off of Clay jail’s high-security wing
High winds took a chunk out of Clay County’s correctional facilities Tuesday, tearing the roof off of its maximum security wing.
Driver’s license offices recovering from computer outage
Robert Nye, an information technology specialist with Mississippi State University, expected his Feb. 24 trip to the East Lee Boulevard DPS office to be relatively quick.
Starkville candidates clash over housing, government authority
Some of Starkville’s most established politicians defended their record during a candidate forum Saturday against challengers who accused them of being out of touch with their constituents.
Starkville firm invests $2.5M into AI model training
Defense and automation firm Camgian is expanding operations in its Starkville facilities to the tune of millions of dollars in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Mickens takes residency challenges to MS Supreme Court
The fight over whether the challengers for the city council’s Ward 2 seat live in the area they want to represent has escalated to the state’s Supreme Court.
Bill supports Mississippi midwives’ push for licensure
Toni Hill has spent more than a decade working full time, traveling around Mississippi to provide women health care during some of the most dangerous moments of their lives.
Blake Shapen embracing leadership under center and in the QB room
July 18, 2025
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