Articles by Yue Stella Yu
City to inspect Riverwalk pedestrian bridge today
The city of Columbus will begin underwater and above-the-water inspections on the pedestrian bridge at the Riverwalk today, said City Engineer Kevin Stafford during a Wednesday press conference.
Community leaders encourage talks to mend race relations
Following months of national and local protests against racial inequality, a cadre of community leaders in the city of Columbus and Lowndes County gathered Tuesday night at the Municipal Complex for a discussion about the racial dynamics in the nation and, in response, how to improve race relations within the community moving forward.
Caledonia Energy Partners sees $20M spike in property value
A new round of property value assessment, conducted by Lowndes County Tax Assessor Greg Andrews, places the actual value of county-based natural gas company Caledonia Energy Partners at $86.5 million — a $20-million jump from last year’s $66.4 million.
County property values increase; city assessment remains flat
Lowndes County saw more than $100 million of growth in its assessed real and personal property value over the past year, whereas the city of Columbus’ value remained roughly level compared to the prior year, according to the latest assessment conducted by Tax Assessor/Collector Greg Andrews.
Monday Profile: Former art teacher shares sweet treats with neighborhood kids during pandemic
With a hamburger-patterned mask on, Ryan Smith, 9, arrived first on a scooter. His younger brother, Gavin, followed on a bike.
Trinity Place Retirement Community says it’s recovering after COVID-19 outbreaks
Following dozens of COVID-19 cases among its residents and employees over the past weeks, Trinity Place Retirement Community is now seeing improvements as patients recover and staffing levels rise, Community Outreach Director Rhonda Richardson told Columbus Exchange Club members at Lion Hills Center on Thursday afternoon.
Supes consider final location of Confederate statue
Lowndes County supervisors are weighing their options on how and where to relocate the Confederate monument — which now stands in front of the county courthouse — as research into the methods and cost of the relocation is underway.
Rose joins Wright, Chism as hopeful for District 37 House election
A total of seven candidates filed qualifying paperwork for two vacant seats in the Golden Triangle delegation to the state Legislature before the Monday deadline.
Audit report: Improper fund transfers spark investigation of city’s FY 18 finances
Money flowed out of the city of Columbus’ general fund bank account without council approval in Fiscal Year 2018, prompting a Mississippi Office of the State Auditor’s investigation into the city’s finances, according to the city’s FY 2018 audit report obtained by The Dispatch.
Ex-LCSD superintendent to run for Dist. 37 House seat
With less than a week before the qualifying deadline, former Lowndes County School District Superintendent Lynn Wright is so far the only candidate to file qualifying paperwork to run for the House District 37 special election.
Council approves 10 new hires for public works, citing delayed services and financial recovery
Columbus City Council unanimously voted Tuesday morning to add 10 full-time employees to the city’s public works department, lifting a hiring freeze on the department that was supposed to last through December as a cost-saving measure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governor on county mask mandate: Supes allowed to be ‘bad guy’ too
Lowndes County supervisors passed a resolution Monday morning asking Gov. Tate Reeves to place the county under tighter restrictions — including a mask mandate — to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
They did not, however, enact any such restrictions themselves, with some supervisors citing concerns about lawsuits and infringing upon citizens’ rights.
Balancing school, hobbies and stress
Students returning to school this fall may finally find a sense of normality in their classroom routines and reunite with familiar faces. But the back-to-school season may also bring stress for many students as they worry about their academic performance and afterschool programs, area counselors say. Parents can help kids cope with it through effective communications.
CPD adopts complaint-based enforcement on mask requirement
A week after Columbus’ mask-wearing mandate went into effect, Assistant Police Chief Doran Johnson told Exchange Club members that the police department is trying its best to enforce the newly-implemented regulations — mostly through responding to business complaints.
Lowndes tables decision on mask requirement
Lowndes County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Wednesday morning to table the decision to mandate mask-wearing countywide until its Aug. 3 meeting, citing the need for more information on the severity of the spread of COVID-19 in the county and concerns about enforcement.
Construction of downtown mini roundabout to begin early next week in front of Harvey’s
The first of the many roundabouts planned along the downtown corridor in Columbus will be under construction starting early next week, said City Engineer Kevin Stafford during a Wednesday press conference.
Lowndes County Juvenile Detention Center employees test positive for COVID-19
Several employees at Lowndes County Juvenile Detention Center and the Road Department have tested positive for COVID-19, county officials told The Dispatch on Wednesday.
Some local legislators test negative for COVID-19; others await results
Following a COVID-19 outbreak among state legislators after weeks of in-person sessions at the state Capitol, many state lawmakers of the Golden Triangle delegation have now tested negative for COVID-19, while others still await results.
Business coaches at MSU call for local investment into young entrepreneurship
Eric Hill’s interest in building a business from scratch started young.
CMSD approves ‘hybrid schedule’ for fall semester, allows ‘virtual-only’ students
Students at Columbus Municipal School District will spend the majority — if not all — of their school weeks online this fall, the board of trustees unanimously decided during its monthly meeting Monday night.