Lowndes superintendent candidate forum set for Thursday

Candidates for Lowndes County superintendent of education will answer questions in a public forum on Thursday night.

Nunnelee to host town hall meeting in Columbus on Thursday

First District U.S. Rep. Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, will attend events in Columbus on Thursday as part of a three-day swing through the district.

Caledonia woman sentenced in child porn case

A 41-year-old Caledonia mother who used her two sons to make child pornography has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.

Trustmark first-quarter earnings largely flat

Trustmark Corp., which has 150 banking offices in the South, posted a first-quarter profit largely unchanged from a year ago as the company continued reducing its number of bad loans.

UPDATE: Miss. death toll continues to rise in wake of severe storms

Another night of severe weather has left four people dead in Mississippi, including a Louisiana law enforcement officer who was out camping with his daughter, raising the state’s total death toll to at least five.

Barbour out, but questions remain among GOP contenders

With the GOP campaign’s first debate scheduled for next week, the muddy Republican field will become clearer very soon as more potential contenders announce whether they’ll run or sit out.

Bowling to plead in Miss. molestation case

A high school football coach whose long career took him from ball fields and classrooms in Mississippi to similar jobs in Alabama is set to plead guilty Wednesday in a sweeping child molestation case involving teenage boys, federal court records said.

Storm kills 3-year-old girl in McComb

Pike County authorities say a 3-year-old girl has been killed by an oak tree that fell on her family’s home.

BancorpSouth posts first-quarter loss

Tupelo-based BancorpSouth Inc. posted a first-quarter loss after increasing its provision for possible credit losses.

Sumner County, Tenn., OKs four-year contract for Phillips

Del Phillips is officially headed to Tennessee. The Sumner County, Tenn., school board voted Monday night to OK a four-year contract with the Columbus school superintendent, who reports to work in June.

Gov. Barbour rules out 2012 presidential run

JACKSON — Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour isn’t running for president in 2012. The Republican issued a statement Monday saying he “will not be a candidate for president next year.”

No. 2 South Carolina beats MSU to clinch series

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State baseball team couldn’t build on early momentum Sunday as the No. 2 University of South Carolina rallied for a 13-4 victory in the final game of a Southeastern Conference series at Dudy Noble Field.

Columbus baseball nearly pulls series upset

VICKSBURG — The Columbus High School baseball team was two innings from an improbable comeback Saturday before Warren Central rallied for a 9-4 victory in the deciding game of its best-of-three Class 6A playoff series.

Columbus (13-15), which lost game one 6-5 on Friday in Columbus, won game two 5-2 and led 2-1 in the fifth inning before Warren Central rallied. The Falcons cut the lead to 6-3 but had a runner called out at first base for interference that helped snuff out a potential rally.

Table Talk’s Poetry Month concludes Wednesday

The Friends of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library concludes its celebration of National Poetry Month Wednesday, April 27, with a Table Talk presentation by director emeritus of the University Honors Program at Mississippi State University, Dr. Jack H. White.

Auditions set for ‘The Night of the Iguana’

Auditions for “The Night of the Iguana” by Tennessee Williams will be conducted by the Tennessee Williams Tribute and Tour of Victorian Homes Volunteer Committee, in co-operation with the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau, on Wednesday, May 18, at 7 p.m. in Rent Auditorium on the Mississippi University for Women campus.

Calling volunteers: Habitat’s Women Build set for May 3

In the days leading up to Mother’s Day, construction crews of female volunteers will raise their hammers at Habitat for Humanity construction sites across the country in recognition of National Women Build Week April 30 through May 8. Lowe’s and Columbus Lowndes Habitat for Humanity are looking for local women to volunteer for a day at the Habitat construction site during this nine-day event. Construction or home improvement experience is not necessary.

Voice students earn distinction

Two Mississippi University for Women voice students sang recently in the student auditions held by the Mississippi chapter of National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Man arrested in Friday stabbing

A Friday morning stabbing led to the arrest of one suspect on multiple charges. Javonte Carter, age and residence unknown, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and possession of cocaine shortly after 7 a.m.

Peaveys to address MSU commencement

The Mississippi State alumnus who founded the Peavey Electronics Corp. and the alumna who leads the Meridian-based international business are the university’s spring commencement speakers April 29-30. Nearly 2,400 students are candidates for spring-semester diplomas.

Columbus schools’ Phillips top candidate for Tennessee post

Columbus Schools Superintendent Del Phillips is the top candidate for director of schools in Sumner County, Tenn., a Tennessee newspaper reported.