Articles by Zack Plair
Monday Profile: Estes returns to her roots in assuming Justice Court role
Come Friday, Lowndes County Administrator Jay Fisher will have to start answering his own office phone, at least for a while.
That’s the day Carley Estes, his administrative assistant and right-hand person for the past year, will move into her new role as lead clerk for Justice Court.
Photo: Downtown house fire
Starkville firefighters work Wednesday afternoon to extinguish a fire at a three-unit rental house at 204 South Washington St. across the street from First Baptist Church.
Indictment: J5 partners fraudulently received more than $2M in federal funds
Local business partners Jabari Edwards and Antwann Richardson have been indicted by a federal grand jury for multiple charges related to misusing more than $2
FBI, other agencies raid J5 office
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, and other unnamed agencies raided Court Square Towers on Thursday morning. FBI Media Coordinator Katie
Skyrocketing asphalt prices forcing tough decisions on area paving projects
Joe Williams sat Wednesday at the board table during an Oktibbeha supervisors’ work session grappling with limited options — none of them particularly pleasant.
City could add kiosks for paid parking in Cotton District
Hamp Beatty left Tuesday’s board of aldermen meeting with a half-victory.
Engineering firm wants work session with MDEQ over dam
County supervisors were hoping for a revised cost estimate from Mississippi Engineering Group on Monday for needed fixes to the Oktibbeha County Lake Dam. Instead, they got little more than another bill to pay.
Man killed, woman injured in Waterworks shooting
Columbus police are seeking a suspect in a Friday afternoon fatal shooting in an apartment on Waterworks Road. First responders were called to an apartment
Ex-SFD training officer charged with embezzlement
The former training officer for Starkville Fire Department is charged with felony embezzlement, according to a police press release issued Wednesday.
Wellington Place residents complain of sewer stench
Paul Cross stands under the canopy of the clubhouse in the Wellington Place subdivision watching it rain.
Trainer: Tax increase necessary to fix dam
A back-and-forth between two supervisors Monday over funding county lake dam improvements led to District 2’s Orlando Trainer saying the previously quiet part out loud: completing the project could mean more burden on the taxpayers.
Monday Profile: Undeterred by naysayers, pandemic, Carlisle realizes dream of opening Poor House Market
This time last year, a tractor and two Volkswagens sat inside an open-sided barn off Old Highway 25 near the corner of Poor House Road.
Amphitheater planners aim for fall event
The Sen. Terry Brown Amphitheater has sat idle on the west bank of the Tombigbee River near downtown Columbus for nearly five years.
McLean calls for city to opt out of marijuana program
Dana McLean held up a printed copy of the state’s 450-page medical marijuana law on Thursday for the Columbus City Council to see.
Gaskin vetoes insurance camera program
Citing legal and ethical concerns, Mayor Keith Gaskin on Friday vetoed the city council’s decision to install cameras that would help police identify and ticket drivers with no vehicle insurance.
Mayor vetoes council decision on insurance cameras
Mayor Keith Gaskin announced Friday he is vetoing the city council’s decision to install cameras that would help police identify and ticket drivers with no
Stem cell treatment for MS could soon enter mainstream
Martha Imes was playing zombie paintball with her family in 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee, when she realized something was off.
Southeast Arkansas weekly faces closure as owners retire
Editor’s Note: Zack Plair, managing editor for The Dispatch, is a Warren, Arkansas, native and served as The Eagle Democrat’s editor from 2005-2011. WARREN, Ark.
Columbus hires new CFO
At a special-call meeting Wednesday morning, Columbus City Council voted unanimously to hire James Brigham as the city’s new chief financial officer. Brigham was interviewed
Monday Profile: Young entrepreneur earns money on wheels
In the garage of his home south of Starkville, Reed Sparks is busy using a belt sander to smooth his latest creation.
