Articles by Tess Vrbin
Two more candidates qualify for municipal elections
Two new candidates qualified in Columbus City Council races before Friday’s filing deadline, an independent candidate in Ward 3 and a Republican challenger in Ward 6.
Five candidates running for West Point mayor
The race to succeed outgoing West Point Mayor Robbie Robinson, who is retiring, grew to five candidates before Friday’s qualifying deadline, and all but one member of the board of selectmen will face a challenger.
Supe proposes $15/hour wage for Lowndes employees
During a discussion about road maintenance at Monday’s Lowndes County supervisors meeting, District 5 Supervisor Leroy Brooks mentioned disparities in wages between some road department employees.
Coburn enters Columbus mayoral race
Montrell Coburn will again challenge incumbent Robert Smith in the mayor’s race.
CMSD alumni at TVA upgrade lights at Franklin Academy
Standing outside Franklin Academy on Wednesday, almost 50 years after attending, Vince Britton felt like he had come full circle.
“Coming back to a place like this and being able to provide this service … it’s kind of hard to put words to it,” said Britton, a Tennessee Valley Authority foreman.
Britton was one of 17 TVA representatives who upgraded 60 light fixtures at Franklin Academy on Wednesday at no cost to the Columbus Municipal School District.
2019 audit reveals unbalanced accounts, untracked assets
The audit of Columbus’ finances for Fiscal Year 2019 showed issues with the city budget that went beyond the misdeeds of the former chief financial officer charged with embezzlement, certified public accountant Wanda Holley told the city council at its Tuesday meeting.
North Atlantic ends security contract with Lowndes County Justice Court
Lowndes County is looking for full-time security for the Justice Court building after North Atlantic Security ended its contract with the county in January.
Beard running for re-election in Ward 4
Columbus Ward 4 Councilman Pierre Beard qualified Monday to run for re-election as an independent candidate.
Monday Profile: Davenport brings passion for unity, spiritual growth to church leadership, community activism
Barbara Williams put all 10 of her children and several of her grandchildren through music school. They all learned to play piano, but none of them were truly passionate about it.
But one grandson, Le’Roy Davenport, turned out to be “the one” with both the talent and the passion for music, he said.
Third candidate running for West Point mayor
A third candidate has entered the race to succeed outgoing West Point Mayor Robbie Robinson, who announced in January that he will retire instead of run for a third term.
Gaskin to run for mayor; Turner seeks to reclaim Ward 4 seat
Keith Gaskin, a longtime Columbus resident and the executive director for the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science Foundation, qualified Friday to run for mayor of Columbus.
Weiss honored with road dedication at Lowndes County Port
Bobby Harper joked that he might have fewer people at his funeral than there were at Henry Weiss’ road dedication on Friday.
Daniels qualifies as Ward 4 alderman candidate, creating three-person race
A third candidate has entered the race for the open Ward 4 seat on the Starkville board of aldermen.
Kevin Daniels, a Republican, qualified Friday to run for the seat that incumbent Alderman Jason Walker will not defend after serving two terms.
Greene qualifies for Ward 3 in Columbus
The election for Columbus’ city council seat in Ward 3 became competitive Thursday when Rusty Greene, a Republican and lifelong Columbus resident, filed paperwork to qualify for candidacy.
New COVID cases continue to drop in Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties
New COVID-19 cases are continuing to fall in parts of the Golden Triangle, in keeping with state and national trends.
Columbus sees new council candidates in Wards 1 and 3
Two more candidates have qualified to run for Columbus City Council, one in the city’s first competitive race and one for a seat which the incumbent will not defend.
Yardi Gras ‘reverse parade’ planned for Feb. 6
Jami Nettles stocked up on Halloween candy a few months ago but was ultimately disappointed when very few people went trick-or-treating in Columbus.
Now she’s stocking up on candy again and hoping the upcoming socially distanced Mardi Gras celebration will draw more people, she said.
MUW offers allergen-free, health-focused dining options
Audrey Robinson and Elena Eaton don’t have trouble avoiding their food allergies in the dining hall, they said.
Both are juniors at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science on the Mississippi University for Women campus, and both schools share the Hogarth Dining Center, which introduced a completely allergen-free food station called Simple Servings on Tuesday.
Director hopes to position Starkville library as ‘community hub’
Phillip Carter tells people all the time he is a “bad librarian.”
He’s not the person to ask about big-name authors or bestselling fiction, since he prefers to read nonfiction, the Starkville-Oktibbeha Public Library System director told the Starkville Rotary Club at its Monday meeting. But he described himself as “very community-focused.”
Past week sees fewer new COVID cases in Golden Triangle
All four Golden Triangle counties are seeing fewer new COVID-19 cases per week after several weeks of sharp spikes, according to Mississippi State Department of Health data.