Articles by Zack Plair
Labat calls for community investment in schools as taxes stay flat
Columbus Municipal School District patrons will pay a virtually flat ad valorem tax rate this fiscal year, but two board members and Superintendent Cherie Labat believe that decision could cost the community long-term in different ways.
Three arrested in Swedenburg Circle murder
Lowndes County sheriff’s deputies have arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of 22-year-old Quinshawn Lucious. Da’Quavious Robertson, 17, and Dorian Williams, 16, are
Morning fire destroys Fish and Blues building
An early morning fire destroyed the building on Highway 69 near New Hope that houses Fish and Blues Restaurant.
LCSD declares $3M shortfall in local tax revenue
Lowndes County School District’s board met Tuesday to declare a more than $3 million shortfall in local revenues for the 2021 Fiscal Year.
Starkville aldermen override veto, reassert scooter ban
Mayor Lynn Spruill strolled into the municipal courtroom at City Hall on Friday afternoon toward her customary place at the center of the board table, speaking cordially to the gathering audience as she went.
Aldermen reassert ban on motorized scooters, overriding mayor’s veto
Starkville aldermen reasserted the ban on motorized scooters in a special-call meeting Friday afternoon, forcing Bird to cease operating in the city limits, at least
Records show J5, subsidiary owe $2.1M in back taxes
The president of the soon-to-be former city project management firm said Wednesday the company will be finished paying off its delinquent taxes to the Internal Revenue Service by October.
Administrator, LCSD settle discrimination lawsuit
Assistant Superintendent Susan Johnson has settled her gender discrimination lawsuit with Lowndes County School District, according to federal court documents.
Monday Profile: Miller pours heart into her work as school teacher, mission as foster parent
Lindsay Miller considers herself a “yes” person, especially at her job.
Gaskin lead stands at 40 votes after affidavit ballots counted
Independent Keith Gaskin still leads incumbent mayor Robert Smith, a Democrat, by 40 votes after election officials processed 158 affidavit and 31 curbside ballots on
Gaskin leads Smith in mayor’s race; still too close to call
Independent challenger Keith Gaskin leads Democratic incumbent Robert Smith by 66 votes in the Columbus mayoral race after election day and absentee votes were tallied
SOS told city ‘nothing to be done’ about ballot box miscue
Six days after the Ward 1 absentee ballot box was left unsealed for an unknown time period in the city registrar’s office, the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office has still not responded to multiple attempts from The Dispatch on how the miscue could impact the validity of those votes.
Mayoral candidates dig into their own pockets for campaigns
Candidates in the West Point mayor’s race are pouring thousands of their own money into their campaigns, according to finance reports filed last week with the city clerk’s office.
Federal judge dismisses fitness gym’s suit against Starkville over pandemic closure
A federal judge has dismissed a civil suit filed by a local fitness gym against the city of Starkville.
Two arrested in rash of armed home invasions
Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard and Chickasaw County Sheriff James D. Meyers met in-person for the first time Tuesday afternoon. But their agencies, along with about a half-dozen others in North Mississippi, had been working together toward a common goal for weeks.
Ex-county employee sues Sanders for sexual harassment
The former Lowndes County administrator’s secretary is alleging in a federal lawsuit that District 1 Supervisor Harry Sanders sexually harassed her, both physically and verbally, for years.
Origis to build 200 megawatt solar farm in Clay County
In March and April 2020, when COVID-19 was shutting down cities, business and stifling in-person interaction, the Golden Triangle Development LINK was in the early stages of making a deal with Origis Energy to build a solar farm in Clay County.
Home Base: Tactical retreats of racist symbols won’t erase white supremacy
Wednesday morning, marble workers began preparing to remove a wart from the Lowndes County Courthouse lawn.
Monday Profile: Griffey welcomes more ‘normal’ spring commencement at MSU
This week, Nathan Griffey will spend most of his time in Humphrey Coliseum.
Home Base: Carver’s insistence COVID-19 ‘isn’t that deadly’ flies in the face of facts, compassion
More than 568,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States. That total includes 7,100-plus in Mississippi and 98 in Oktibbeha County.
Group distributes 528 backpacks, school supplies at Lock and Dam
July 13, 2025
By
