Articles by Zack Plair
City officials: CPD officer stopped for DUI in Starkville
A Columbus police officer will face the city council in executive session Tuesday after apparently being stopped in Starkville recently for driving under the influence.
Home Base: In black communities, ‘traffic stop safety’ is a priority conversation
Walking up to the driver’s side of a pickup that was “pulled over” by Lowndes County sheriff’s deputies Tuesday evening in the Oak Grove MB Church parking lot on Taylor Thurston Road, the pastor and I muttered our lines to ourselves as we shuffled closer to the vehicle.
Historic Burns Bottom home in crosshairs of demolition
The city plans to tear down a house in Burns Bottom that is on the National Register of Historic Places as part of a tax-funded redevelopment effort in the neighborhood.
City to demolish eight houses in Burns Bottom
Columbus City Council on Tuesday agreed to demolish eight vacant houses in the Burns Bottom area to help support an ongoing Columbus Redevelopment Authority project in the area.
CMSD board applicant field swells to five
The pool of applicants to fill the Columbus Municipal School District board’s final vacancy has grown to five.
Foundation invites public to ‘community conversation’
A planned “community conversation” event aims to better inform and engage citizens about the challenges facing Lowndes County.
Two men vying for CMSD board vacancy
Local pastor Willie Petty Sr. hopes his third try to get on the Columbus Municipal School District Board of Trustees proves the charm.
Sanders to stay on patrol after council denies appeal
An impromptu prayer circle, 16 members strong, assembled Tuesday evening in the hallway of the Municipal Complex, just outside the courtroom where the city council meets.
Council appoints Cox to CMSD board
Columbus council members on Tuesday selected Yvonne Cox to serve a five-year term on the Columbus Municipal School District Board of Trustees.
3 candidates vying for CMSD board spot
Three applicants had filed paperwork with the city as of Thursday to replace Angela Verdell on the Columbus Municipal School District board of trustees.
Two CMSD board members calling it quits
Two Columbus Municipal School District trustees who openly supported outgoing superintendent Philip Hickman are calling it quits.
Custody dispute at center of missing autistic man case
A man claiming to be a licensed private investigator harshly criticized Columbus Police Department Tuesday evening for its efforts to find a missing autistic man in late January.
Restaurant tax: Inter-local agreement clears CVB board on 5-4 vote
The Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau board on Tuesday did its part to save a 2-percent county wide restaurant sales tax.
Police update Overview Committee on Leigh Mall shooting
A conversation Thursday about witnesses and victims cooperating with police segued into a public update on last month’s shooting outside Leigh Mall.
Restaurant tax: CVB again delays restaurant tax deal with city
Another last-minute wrinkle has delayed for at least another week the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau and the city reaching an inter-local agreement on dividing restaurant sales tax revenues.
Home Base: How can we prevent unspeakable tragedies?
This newspaper employs more than one reasonably close friend of the Gabe Parker family.
Restaurant tax: CVB backs off most recent requests on restaurant tax
Following fierce pushback from city officials, a few Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau leaders appear to be backing off their proposed revisions to an inter-local agreement involving 2-percent restaurant sales tax funds.
Three systems pitching affiliation to OCH
Three hospital systems have expressed interest in affiliating with OCH Regional Medical Center, the Starkville hospital’s CEO, Richard Hilton, announced at a trustees meeting Tuesday evening.
Restaurant tax: City works with CVB on restaurant tax solution
Columbus city councilmen are making a last-ditch effort to negotiate with the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau to renew a countywide restaurant tax set to expire in June.
A new publisher: Peter Imes takes reins as fourth-generation leader of The Dispatch
A fourth generation of the Imes family is taking the reins of The Commercial Dispatch.
Holiday Handcrafts Bazaar accepting vendor applications
July 12, 2025
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