Teaching teachers: Educators brush up on math skills

Many Mississippi math students can expect to benefit from their teachers’ recent completion of a month-long institute geared toward bringing increased efficiency, student motivation and academic performance into the mathematics classroom.

Animal lover finds dream job

A former Severstal employee, Van Smith, 38, found his true calling, after successfully applying to an ad for his dream job.

The Clay County resident and West Point native, Smith, who has two children — Walker, 7, and Morgan, 4, — with his wife, Kim, has been one of Columbus’ and Lowndes County’s two animal control officers since February.

Young scientists learn it’s all about the water

A dozen young scientists and environmentalists in the making Thursday beat the heat, while learning about watershed ecology, water quality and water stewardship during a Mississippi University for Women Science Enrichment Program workshop at Plymouth Bluff.

Competition drives gas prices; Market will bear what consumers will pay

A review of daily gas prices on www.mississippigasprices.com is revealing.

Gas prices throughout the nation, as well as Mississippi, are falling, especially from the record-high prices of a year ago, yet Columbus stations consistently charge among the highest prices in the state.

EMCC tuition program removing financial barriers for families

With the fall semester approaching, many students are taking advantage of East Mississippi Community College’s new tuition guarantee program and school officials are expecting many more to do so.

Art camps give youth creative outlet

If the past week of the Columbus Arts Council’s Summer Art Camp series is any indication, parents and their children agree the camp is a success.

Crowds turn out for Juneteenth celebration

Not everyone at Sim Scott Park Saturday knew the historic significance of Juneteenth, but the 13th annual Juneteenth Festival had some kind of meaning for everyone present.

EMCC nursing school moves step closer to construction

It’s proposed to be much more than just a new nursing school, but the added space from a new allied health facility would allow East Mississippi Community College to reach even more nursing students, as well as offer higher levels of study.

New home construction up 17.2 percent nationwide; building slows in the Golden Triangle

In what may be a sign the nation’s housing recession is beginning to bottom out, nationwide, construction of new homes jumped in May by the largest amount in three months.

4-County EPA hosts community health fair

Hundreds of health-conscious residents of the Golden Triangle and beyond Thursday visited 4-County Electric Power Association’s Health Fair at East Mississippi Community College’s Mayhew campus.

Younger, ‘icon’ in Lowndes politics, dies at 78

Charles Jerome Younger, a longtime former chancery clerk and justice of the peace who was described as an “icon” of the area, died this morning at his Columbus home following an extended illness. He was 78.

Reneau, Waverley favored by MUW group

A committee charged by Mississippi University for Women President Dr. Claudia Limbert to give her recommendations for a new name for the school saw the most promise in the names Reneau University and Waverley University, during a session held Thursday on campus.

Making homes more efficient: Local utility companies can help

Local utility companies are urging consumers to take steps necessary to make their homes more energy efficient and are providing resources to help.

Local students among Merit Scholarship winners

A couple of local students are among more than 2,800 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities.

CMSD board approves Union Academy lease

The Columbus Municipal School District Board of Trustees Monday issued final approval of a lease allowing Recruitment and Training Program of Mississippi Inc. to occupy the former Union Academy building, located at 1425 10th Ave. N.

Program caters to aspiring scientists

Room 216 of Hooper Science Hall, a laboratory in Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, Thursday overflowed with the excitement of aspiring engineers, doctors, lawyers, anesthesiologists and physicists, preparing to launch small, handmade rockets.

Juneteenth Fest to celebrate freedom, fellowship

Organizers of the 13th annual Juneteenth Festival, held June 18 through June 20, expect this year’s event to bring in additional tourism business for Columbus hotels and restaurants.

New purposes for historic buildings

Columbus Municipal School District officials are working to ensure abandoned school buildings soon will have new purpose.

And Mississippi University for Women officials are looking at ways to utilize the building formerly occupied by Demonstration Elementary School.

Sale Elementary preps to assume IB mantle

Columbus High School last year became an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme school and now, as the result of more than 18 months of hard work, Sale International Studies Magnet School has a good chance of becoming an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program school.

Scott Ross solidifies another term as mayor of West Point

WEST POINT — West Point’s incumbent mayor, Democrat Scott Ross, Tuesday defeated independent candidate Harold Lathon.

Not including absentee and affidavit ballots, Ross received 1,673 votes, and Lathon received 626 votes.