Pat Kight: The people were my inspiration

STARKVILLE — Pat Kight has always enjoyed crunching numbers, assessing property and collecting taxes.

As Oktibbeha County’s tax assessor/collector since 1992 and former north supervisor in the Mississippi Tax Commission, the technical aspects of the job were enough to see Kight stay in the field more than 30 years.

McGinnis reflects on time as circuit clerk

STARKVILLE — For the first two weeks of Angie McGinnis’ 16-year term as Oktibbeha County circuit clerk, she walked around the courthouse in a daze.

In a small, two-room, one-vault office, everything that was thrown at McGinnis made her question if she’d ever catch up. Even after spending four years as deputy clerk, she was overwhelmed.

Bryan: I’ve served the people of Oktibbeha County well

STARKVILLE — Around Dolph Bryan’s office, there are patches of painted cinder block, almost forming their own design to compliment the remaining plaques and pictures from 36 years as Oktibbeha County sheriff.

Bit by bit, Bryan is packing up and making way for a new sheriff — either Steve Gladney or Rudy Johnson — following Tuesday’s election.

Kight: Residents could bear brunt of county turnover

STARKVILLE — Outgoing Oktibbeha County Tax Assessor/Collector Pat Kight calls Tuesday’s election “pivotal” for county residents.

That’s not to take anything away from previous elections where important offices were up for grabs, but after Tuesday the county will lose 70 years of combined service in three of its most important offices. Sheriff Dolph Bryan was eliminated in the runoff election, while Kight and Circuit Clerk Angie McGinnis aren’t seeking re-election.

Operation Christmas Child hopes to eclipse 20,000 gift boxes

Each year, thousands of people from the Golden Triangle pack an assortment of items — some necessities and school supplies, some gifts — into shoe boxes to be shipped to needy kids around the world.

West Point gears up for playoff run with rout of New Hope

WEST POINT — The West Point High School football team scored 35 second-quarter points, and Aeris Williams and Dequinten Spraggins each scored a pair of touchdowns to lead the Green Wave to a 56-20 win against New Hope on Friday night.

Best smelling crook in town: Man steals $1,000 worth of cologne

Starkville police are looking for a man who shoplifted $1,000 of cologne and two TV monitors from Walmart.

Gregory sentenced in fatal accident

Eric Gregory received five years probation and an $800 fine Friday for his role in a 2008 fatal accident that killed two people and seriously injured another.

Oktibbeha County man dies from stab wound to neck

The Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the stabbing death of a 62-year-old man.

Making a joyful noise for the Lord

Singer Jon Banks fell in love with gospel music when he was 5 years old.

Like many before him, he derived greater joy from the empowering, uplifting message of gospel than the catchier, more earth-bound lyrics of pop and R&B.

Starkville tree lighting ceremony delayed

Starkville’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony is on hold.

Due to a shipping snafu with the 17-foot, pre-lit LED commercial tree, the tree lighting originally set for Sunday will take place on Nov. 28, immediately following the Christmas parade at the Oktibbeha County Courthouse.

AMS to hold ‘Are You Smarter Than Your AMS Student?’ tonight

STARKVILLE — Parents of Armstrong Middle School students: Language arts bragging rights are on the line tonight.

New hires made to address brown water problems

STARKVILLE — City officials say that by Nov. 14 they’ll have the proper staff to make significant headway in reducing incidents of brown water in the city’s supply.

First United annual bazaar offers ‘sweet spirit’

STARKVILLE — Where else can one get a hand-made Christmas wreath, wooden spoons carved from bois d’arc trees and a frozen spinach and artichoke casserole, all in one trip?

Armed robbery suspect makes off with cash, pizza

STARKVILLE — The Starkville Police Department is searching for a man who robbed a pizza delivery employee at gunpoint Saturday at Chandler Park Apartment Complex.

Brown water blues: Hotel owners seek relief for ‘unusable’ and ‘turbid’ water

STARKVILLE — Roughly halfway through his public appearance at the Starkville Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday, Hotel Chester owner David Mollendor removed nine sealed cups of brown water, some as dark as plain coffee.

Gregory pleads guilty in fatal wreck

STARKVILLE — Eric Gregory pleaded guilty Monday in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court to a charge of accessory after the fact involving a 2008 fatal accident that killed two people and seriously injured another.

Aldermen to consider pavement installation for subdivisions, Hotel Chester water bill

The Starkville Board of Aldermen will hold a public hearing to discuss reworking the city’s subdivision regulations to allow one-stage street pavement during their regularly scheduled meeting tonight at 5:30.

Oktibbeha agencies collect more than 50 pounds of unused medication

Flushing unused medication down the toilet used to be the preferred method of disposal until increased levels of drug compounds started showing up in waste streams, lakes and rivers.

The health risks of medication disposed into the sewer, combined with unused medication being abused by others has prompted the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to offer anonymous drug turn-ins across the country.

Locals discuss debt solutions at tonight’s forum

Developing a concrete solution to lowering the United States’ mounting debt rests in the hands of two political parties that hit an impasse while trying to pass legislation. Americans are bemused by the lack of action while trying to make sense of the country’s nearly $15 trillion of debt.

At 6:00 tonight, area residents can get an idea of how grassroots ideas and methods of compromise can influence national policy makers in the National Issues Forum on National Debt at the Colvard Student Union Ballroom at Mississippi State University.