Articles by Jason Browne
Burglaries continue to plague Columbus
Since focusing and increasing midtown patrols in September, the Columbus Police Department has succeeded in lowering incidents in the most crime-plagued area of the city.
Work with cancer patients touches lives, teaches leadership
Patients at Baptist Memorial Hospital’s Cancer Center got some early Halloween goodies Thursday thanks to Mississippi State University’s Day One students.
Swine flu vaccine available Monday to those at high risk
Local students and high-risk residents soon will have opportunities to get vaccinated against the H1N1 swine flu.
Vandals put damper on downtown decor
Somewhere, The Great Pumpkin is weeping.
More than $750 in autumn decorations arranged on downtown streets by Main Street Columbus have been stolen or destroyed in the past week.
Local developer rescues aging Columbus firehouse
A historic building is back in business, so to speak, in downtown Columbus.
Seeking Justice: Murder victim’s family speaks out
The family of Clarence “Big C” Trimble wants a life for a life.
Trimble was robbed and murdered early Saturday morning at his club, Big C’s Game Room, on Stinson Creek Road in Lowndes County. Two Aberdeen men face capital murder charges for the crime.
Witness: Suspects bragged about murder in phone call
The men charged with the murder of a Lowndes County club owner called a friend to brag about the killing afterward, a family member of the victim has said.
Pothole-plagued artery through Columbus receiving new curbs, drains, complete repaving
Military Road is seeing growing pains, but those closest to the historic thoroughfare are showing patience.
Businesses have seen delays and a decrease in traffic as years-old potholes and drainage problems have given way to road crews, traffic cones and orange webbing. The work doesn’t help motorists now, but it will come April.
West Point looks in vain for funding to repair collapsed bridge connecting Highway 45 to downtown
Efforts to fix a fallen bridge on one of West Point’s busiest roads have met rejection after rejection.
Recovering from the NFL
A former National Football League player is in Columbus this week paying the price for his former glory.
Randy Grimes, a center with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1983-92, received a successful full knee replacement Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital–Golden Triangle. He didn’t pay the bill for the surgery, but not as special treatment due to his old job.
Clay supes wrangle over outstanding fines
WEST POINT — Clay County Sheriff Laddie Huffman took issue Thursday with supervisors’ assertions that his department was not aggressively collecting unpaid fines, but said he had no objections to the county contracting with nCourt electronic filing services to collect the delinquent Justice Court fees.
New councilman stays busy with flooring business, plans to preach again
City Council work can be a lot like laying a hardwood floor. If you don’t get it right the first time, you could have a timely, expensive mess on your hands trying to set things right.
A home with heart: Americorps workers renovate home for homeless youths
Right now, one family in New Hope is renovating its home for the sole purpose of turning it over to another family.
No money will change hands, nor will any property.
And the current homeowners are building a homemade adobe shed in the front yard before giving their house away.
Hand-to-hand combat
The police force exists to protect and serve, not to break arms. But criminals don’t always respect the rules.
More than 20 members of the Columbus Police Department participated in hand-to-hand combat training last week at the Frank Phillips YMCA in downtown Columbus to learn what to do when a criminal refuses to be subdued.
Crime Stoppers pays $1,600 for arrests
WEST POINT — Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers assisted in the arrest of eight individuals and helped recover $4,000 worth of stolen property in the last month.
Judge considers moving murder trial
The location of Brian Holliman’s trial rests in the judge’s hands.
Lowndes County Circuit Court Judge Lee Howard heard arguments from defense attorney Steve Farese and District Attorney Forrest Allgood Tuesday during a hearing to determine if Holliman’s murder trial should be moved out of Lowndes County in the interest of providing a fair trial.
West Point shuts out Lake Cormorant
WEST POINT — The West Point High School football team new Class 5A, Region 1 rival Lake Cormorant played their game Friday in ankle-deep mud.
And the Gators were positively stuck in it.
Columbus man arrested for exposing himself near school
The Columbus Police Department arrested a Columbus man Monday morning after witnesses reported he exposed himself outside Stokes-Beard Elementary School.
Ready for takeoff: Link touts new focus on aerospace jobs
The land is available. The first tenants are established. Political support is present at the local and state levels.
Bring on the jobs.
Local senior Booker an ‘inexaustible’ volunteer
Inge Booker, 71, has logged nearly 7,000 hours walking the hallways of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. And she hasn’t been paid for a single one.
Booker was recently voted BMH-GT’s Volunteer of the Year by hundreds of her fellow volunteers due to her seemingly inexhaustible work ethic.