Monday Profile: Columbus native returns home after three tours in Vietnam, career selling cars

Master Sgt. Clyde Moore served three separate tours in the Vietnam War, and he’s the only person he knows who can say that.

Former CMSD business manager hired as EMCC’s chief financial officer

East Mississippi Community College has hired the former business administrator for Columbus Municipal School District as the college’s chief financial officer.

18-year old who tried to ‘beat’ train, two passengers survive railroad collision

Three teenagers narrowly escaped serious injury or death when the car they were in was hit by a train on Highway 69 Friday afternoon.

Art by area elementary students on display at Rosenzweig Arts Center

About 60 art pieces are currently on display in the main gallery at the Rosenzweig Arts Center in downtown Columbus.

MEC president urges residents to change narrative around state image

More than half of area professionals think Mississippi has a negative image, if the Mississippi Economic Council’s Tour in Columbus is anything to go by.

Columbus man dies in MDOC custody

A man convicted of manslaughter in Lowndes County has died in Mississippi Department of Corrections custody.

Soft Skills University prepares students to enter workforce

At least one of Lu McCrary’s interviews Wednesday did not go well.

He fist-bumped the interviewer rather than shaking her hand, wore a backward baseball cap and sunglasses, told the interviewer he was “taking a break from life” and offered to show her his tattoos.

18 lots left for CRA to acquire in Burns Bottom

After more than four years of negotiations, Columbus Redevelopment Authority may be approaching the end of the acquisition process for the Burns Bottom project, said CRA President John Acker.

Officials reflect on devastating Feb. 23, 2019, tornado

Cindy Lawrence said the night of Feb. 23, 2019, is one she will never forget.

Lowndes County was under a tornado watch that Saturday afternoon, and as director of the county’s Emergency Management Agency, Lawrence was at her downtown office at about 5:15 when the EF-3 tornado first touched down.

CPD policy would require officers to repay city for training if they leave in less than two years

Columbus Police Department is looking to implement a training reimbursement agreement for officers trained to repay back the department for the cost of training if they resign within two years to join another law enforcement agency.

Law enforcement agencies promote Crime Stoppers tip app

Area law enforcement agencies are encouraging citizens to use a new app to send tips to Crime Stoppers.

Independent auditor finds paperwork deficiencies at LCSD

The CPA handling Lowndes County School District’s financial audit declared the district’s audit “clean” during the board’s regular meeting Friday, but not without raising several examples of incorrect filing procedures and information missing from board meeting minutes — the latter of which had board members questioning Business Officer Kenneth Hughes as to whether he had presented certain expenses to them at all.

Cracker Barrel shooter to spend 30 years in prison

A Columbus man who admitted to shooting a manager at Cracker Barrel in June 2018 will spend 30 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Macon mother shares story of son’s lost battle with alcohol

Lauren McGraw does not consider herself a public speaker. Instead, she’s a talker.

The Macon native who grew up driving to and from Columbus talked to everyone gathered at the monthly meeting of the Lowndes County Republican Women at Lion Hills Center on Tuesday, where, in true Southern fashion, she knew about half the people in the room, or at least their friends or relatives, she joked.

Ethics Commission: LCSD board did not violate open meetings act

The Mississippi Ethics Commission ruled Friday that the Lowndes County School District Board of Trustees did not violate the open meetings law when it held superintendent interviews behind closed doors, with only 15 handpicked citizens allowed to attend.

Monday Profile: Army veteran develops taste for baking

When it came to baking, Nicole Huff’s “first challenge” was a white velvet birthday cake for her mom.

City closes pedestrian bridge at Columbus Riverwalk as precaution; bridge appears to be disconnecting from support pillar

City officials have closed the pedestrian bridge over the Tombigbee River at the Columbus Riverwalk until further notice.

Taylor discusses building human heart in opening of MUW’s II+C Symposium

Dr. Doris Taylor said she cried the first time she held a human heart in her hand.

Putting away the paddle? Legislators say parental input critical in school discipline as House bill seeks to ban corporal punishment

A bill making its way through the Mississippi House of Representatives potentially banning corporal punishment — which traditionally has entailed paddling children for certain school offenses, such as fighting — from public schools has area legislators thinking about when to involve parents in school discipline.

Area school districts emphasize WorkKeys

Columbus High School Principal Craig Chapman tells a story about a particular student who swung by his office to ask, “When are the industries visiting?”

The student, one of the school’s 202 seniors, had taken the WorkKeys exam, a workforce readiness test similar in format to the more academic-oriented ACT, and was now excited to meet representatives from area industries planning to visit the schools.