Articles by Tess Vrbin
MSU will send more than 550 ventilators to UMMC for COVID-19 response
Gov. Tate Reeves mentioned Wednesday, during his announcement of a two-week “shelter-in-place” order due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that Mississippi State University would send ventilators to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
SHS seniors work to memorialize a historic time in high school yearbook
High school is shaping up to have an unusual ending for the 291 members of the Starkville High School senior class, but 23 of them face a specific challenge.
Anxiety over virus increases demand for mental health care
The uncertainty that comes with a global pandemic like the COVID-19 coronavirus means people need someone to talk to about their concerns, said Karla Morgan, who runs Seeds Counseling and Wellness in Starkville.
“Even if people aren’t looking for counseling, they’re looking for connection and support and ways to consider how to move forward,” Morgan said.
Counselors urge honesty, caution when talking to kids about COVID-19
The uncertainty that comes with a global pandemic, which has shut down schools and most person-to-person interaction for the foreseeable future, means children will look to their parents for guidance and answers to their inevitable questions, Starkville mental health counselor Karla Morgan said.
Partnership School construction halted for pandemic
Construction on the long-delayed Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District’s Partnership School has stopped due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Superintendent Eddie Peasant said Friday at a special-call meeting of the board of trustees.
Down market brings new investors, while existing ones seek to ‘ride it out’
The stock value for the video conferencing tool Zoom increased by 22 percent from the close of the market Friday to the same time Monday.
People want to invest in Zoom stock because the app has become a widely-used work-from-home tool during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Modern Woodmen of America financial adviser Barbara Coats said. But she and other advisers warn against purchasing individual stocks.
Aldermen say no to closing non-essential businesses; city still has no set curfew
Starkville aldermen shot down a measure during a special-call meeting Tuesday to expand restrictions on “non-essential” businesses and facilities in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.
Hotels ‘barely keeping the lights on’ during outbreak
Shanqunni Smith’s life went from stable to unstable very quickly, she said.
“I really had everything mapped out (with) my bills, and now I’ve got to figure out how I’m going to pay everything,” said Smith, a single mother of four.
Starkville passes restrictions on restaurants, gatherings
Starkville aldermen voted unanimously Friday mandating restaurants to serve customers via takeout, drive-through and delivery only, and restricting social and business gatherings to 10 people or fewer in an effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Starkville passes restrictions on restaurants, gatherings
Starkville aldermen voted unanimously Friday mandating restaurants serve customers via takeout, drive-through and delivery only, and restricting social and business gatherings to 10 people or fewer in an effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
School districts navigate ‘uncharted waters’ of delivering remote education
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is not the first disaster Cherie Labat has dealt with in her educational career.
Engineers squabble over whether to rebuild Oktibbeha Lake dam
Oktibbeha supervisors voted 3-2 on Monday to use county operating funds for County Engineer Clyde Pritchard’s to develop blueprints to replace the Oktibbeha County Lake dam.
Logan to step down as Starkville parks director
Gerry Logan will step down at the end of the month from his position as Starkville Parks and Recreation executive director, Mayor Lynn Spruill announced Friday.
Federal Reserve to give economic briefing in Starkville
The Memphis branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis will hold a regional economic briefing in Starkville on April 14 at The Mill Conference Center, the bank announced Tuesday morning.
Citizen-led group of rural broadband advocates plans event with Presley
Golden Triangle residents frustrated with the lack of broadband internet access in rural areas are banding together to put more pressure on 4-County Electric Power Association to offer the service.
Scene reconstruction tech to help SPD address car accidents
The conversation about an efficient way to reconstruct car crash scenes started at the Starkville Police Department after the deaths of two men in a Rockhill Road car accident in August, SPD Cpl. Chris Jackson said.
Oktibbeha may work with Corps of Engineers to study needs at lake dam
Oktibbeha County leaders will spend the next two weeks figuring out the scope of a study of the county lake dam that the board of supervisors will consider authorizing at its March 16 meeting.
Aldermen consider Cotton District parking meters
A Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based parking meter company pitched to Starkville aldermen at their Tuesday meeting the installation of about 45 meters for less than $50,000 in the Cotton District.
Man sentenced to 120 years on drug charge to be set free
An Oktibbeha County man sentenced to 120 years in state prison will soon be free, a circuit court judge decided Tuesday morning.
Oktibbeha supes table gun rights sanctuary proposal
Supervisors tabled a proposed resolution to make Oktibbeha County a “Second Amendment sanctuary” after discussion made it clear that there would be no majority vote.