CPD officer faces suspension for pointing Taser at shackled man

A Columbus police officer faces possible suspension for pointing a Taser at a shackled inmate in an emergency room examination area.

Home Base: Fake news cuts both ways

Donald Trump is the president of the United States. Regardless of whether you support him, he’s a White House resident presumably until at least Jan. 20, 2021.

Princess owner plans to reopen theater

Princess Theater owner Bart Lawrence plans to open the theater portion of his downtown nightclub for public events on Saturday with or without Columbus City Council approval.

AG opinion: Council can’t terminate Dowd

Despite public outcry for Columbus City Council to terminate police officer Keith Dowd, rather than let him resign, a Mississippi Attorney General’s opinion says firing him isn’t a valid option.

Smith directs police chief to place officer on administrative leave (includes video)

Columbus Mayor Robert Smith on Wednesday ordered Police Chief Oscar Lewis to place on administrative leave a patrol officer being investigated for his conduct during a traffic stop.

‘I don’t know what would have happened if I had said something’: Hibbler recounts terrifying traffic stop

Joshua Hibbler saw the blue lights flash behind him on Aug. 18 and immediately pulled over to the side of the road.

Mayor: CPD officer misused power on traffic stop

Columbus officials are investigating a police officer’s conduct during a traffic stop in August and whether it violated departmental policy – including whether it constituted racial profiling.

Law enforcement still searching for escaped inmate

As law enforcement continues to search for a man who escaped from Lowndes County Adult Detention Center over the weekend, officials have also released more information about how the inmate broke free.

Lowndes authorities search for escaped inmate

An armed robbery suspect broke out of Lowndes County Adult Detention Center Saturday.

Disagreement abounds on police chief action plan specifics

Mayor Robert Smith offered a few more specifics Thursday on an action plan meant to save Police Chief Oscar Lewis’ job, but most of what the plan outlines remains under wraps, apparently even from the city council.

Juvenile arrested for firing gun in air near MUW

Columbus police have a suspect in custody following a shots-fired call Sunday night at the 1400 block of Fourth Avenue South.

Debate on Starkville alcohol ordinance moves forward

Starkville leaders took the next necessary step Tuesday toward loosening the city’s ordinance restrictions on alcohol sales.

Home Base: Truth and myths about American exceptionalism

Every time you flip on a light switch, you are literally unleashing evidence the idea of American exceptionalism, at least in its traditionally accepted form, is false.

Home Base: Nature versus nurture

Where do “isms” come from?

You know, the nasty ones: racism, sexism, ageism, etc.

MSMS reserve fund reaching critical point

Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science could be only a year away from drastically shrinking its operations, according to the school’s executive director Germain McConnell.

Home Base: Using the Lord’s name in vain

There’s nothing wrong with being a Christian. In fact, I highly recommend it.

There’s also nothing wrong with people allowing their faith to inform their decision-making, in any sphere.

Home Base: An alternative to wasting money on ‘stuff’

A long unused Kindle Fire lay gathering dust on an end table in our living room. Across the room, a gaming system sat similarly idle – its once enthusiasm-fueled glow lost to homework, youth sports, piano lessons and other fixtures of our family’s weekly grind.

Gaming the system: Absentee votes often pivotal in local elections

Sara Deloach. Patricia Brooks. Judy Lewis.

Candidates who have run for office in Columbus and Lowndes County over the past 40-plus years likely know at least one, if not all, of these women and might have even used their services.

Hood calls on better funding priorities in state

Attorney General Jim Hood forgot to take his blood pressure medicine Monday before taking to the podium to speak at Starkville Country Club.

Councilman invokes race in campaign letter

A Columbus councilman is standing by his decision to mail out campaign material that openly invokes race as an issue for this year’s municipal elections.