“I’m going to miss you, Coach.”
Those words from Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers at Humphrey Coliseum encapsulated the feelings of a community and so many others across the college football world as they mourned the loss of a coaching legend.
A month before, MSU’s athletic director jumped ship for Auburn.
Other issues making headlines in Oktibbeha County in 2022 included movement toward fixing the county lake dam, retail and industrial development, a new superintendent for Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and the creation of a new court.
Here’s a look at some of this year’s top stories.
Mike Leach passes away
The end of Mike Leach’s third year as head football coach for Mississippi State was punctuated with an Egg Bowl win over Ole Miss — ending an 8-4 regular season with an invitation to play Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida.
Unfortunately, Leach’s successful run at the helm of Bulldog football met an untimely end.
Leach, 61, died Dec. 12 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center from heart complications. The day before, he had suffered a sudden medical issue and was airlifted to the hospital.
School officials, players and former colleagues memorialized Leach during a service Dec. 20 at Humphrey Coliseum. Known as the architect of the “Air Raid” offense, he earned a 19-17 record at MSU. He was previously head coach for Washington State and Texas Tech.
Much ado about a lake dam
After nearly three years of sometimes bitter back-and-forth among county supervisors, it appears federal help is on the way to repair the dam at Oktibbeha County Lake.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service notified the county it was approved for grant funding for the dam project. It will first study the repair needs at the site before determining the specific amount the grant will provide. The county has also earmarked $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward the project.
Earlier in the year, a Mississippi Engineering Group study estimated the lake dam would cost between $15 million and $17 million to repair, roughly double the $8 million estimate County Engineer Clyde Pritchard provided in 2021.
The dam discussion came to the fore in January 2020, after residents around the lake were temporarily evacuated when the dam was deemed in “imminent danger” of breaching.
District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller, who has served as board president in 2022, has pushed for getting cost estimates to decommission the lake, which she believes would be cheaper. She has also publicly called the county’s NRCS grant application “fraudulent” because she believes it contains false information regarding the lake and its purpose. She refused to sign the grant application on behalf of the county, instead deferring to board vice president Orlando Trainer.
Main Street redesign, downtown utilities upgrade approved
Aldermen approved plans for a $10 million Main Street redesign early in the year.
The project will narrow the stretch of Main Street east of City Hall, create outdoor event space and increase pedestrian access. However, it will also reduce parking spots available downtown.
The city has $4.5 million committed to the project with hopes of obtaining another $2 million from the legislature in 2023. Plans are to fund the rest with bonded debt.
As a precursor to that project, aldermen also approved designs for what they hoped would be a $2.3 million downtown water and sewer line upgrade, which would be funded with American Rescue Plan Act money. The project, meant for completion next August, was delayed in December after the board rejected bids that came in at double the estimate.
Starkville Utilities Department is clarifying the work scope for the proposal and rebidding the project with hopes the new bids will be closer to the estimate.
Once the utility project is complete, the city will take bids for the Main Street redesign, with hopes of finishing that work by 2025.
9-year-old murdered
Soon after 2022 began, the tragic murder of a 9-year-old boy left Starkville stunned.
Lasang Kemp was fatally wounded Jan. 5 while riding in a car that was targeted in a shooting on Santa Anita Drive.
A shooting earlier that night near Carver and Hiwassee drives involved other victims who were not injured. Police said the same vehicle containing the shooters was involved in both incidents, and the victims of the second shooting, including Kemp, were relatives of the victims of the first.
By Jan. 7, Starkville police had arrested three suspects — Barron Hubbard, 29; Tabyron Fisher, 21, and Dellveon Lindsey, 19, charging each with murder and six counts of aggravated assault.
Kemp was a student at Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary.
John Cohen leaves for Auburn
Almost six years to the day since being named athletic director for Mississippi State, John Cohen stepped down Oct. 31 to take the same job at Auburn.
Bracky Brett, associate senior athletic director for compliance, is serving as interim AD during the search for a permanent replacement.
Cohen served eight seasons as MSU’s head baseball coach before becoming athletic director, amassing a record of 284-203-1 and leading the program to a runner-up finish in the College World Series in 2013.
As AD, he made 14 coaching hires, including Mike Leach for football, Chris Lemonis for baseball, and both current men’s and women’s basketball coaches — Chris Jans and Sam Purcell, respectively.
County court established, judge elected
In November, Oktibbeha County voters elected a judge to preside over its newest court.
Lee Ann Turner bested fellow attorneys Charles Bruce Brown and Marty Haug to win the county court judge seat. Gov. Tate Reeves approved establishing a county court in Oktibbeha due to its population surpassing 50,000 in the 2020 census.
The county court will hear all youth court cases and will serve as an intermediate court between municipal/justice and circuit court on both criminal and civil matters.
Turner has practiced law for 26 years and served as a youth court referee for 14 years.
Development abounds
Columbia Industries, an oil field and solid waste equipment manufacturer based in Hillsboro, Oregon, announced in July it would invest $9.5 million to move into the former Gulf State facility on Airport Road. The move is expected to create 62 new jobs.
On the retail side, Triangle Crossing Shopping Center was completed on Highway 12 and held its grand opening in November. The Castle Properties development includes an Aldi grocery store, Marshalls Department Store and Pet Smart, along with stores like Ulta and Rack Room Shoes.
Elsewhere on Highway 12, plans were announced in May to convert the old Vowell’s Marketplace into a multi-tenant commercial development. 44 Properties, owned by former Major League Pitcher Roy Oswalt, purchased the 60,000 square foot facility. Once work is completed, it will include a Corner Market, an Ace Hardware and a third store that has not been named.
Peasant retires, McGee hired at SOCSD
Tony McGee took the reins as Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District superintendent in July, replacing Eddie Peasant, who retired after five years leading the district.
The school board approved McGee’s hire in May. He came with 14 years of experience as a superintendent, serving seven years each in Scott County and Kosciusko.
Peasant, who announced his retirement in January, led the district through the COVID-19 pandemic and spearheaded the effort to move SOCSD to a modified schedule, which began this school year. With that schedule, classes began July 26 and will end in early June, with two-week breaks or intersessions during both the fall and spring semesters.
SOCSD improved to an overall B rating from the Mississippi Department of Education based on performance during the 2021-22 school year, Peasant’s last as superintendent.
Lick sentenced for PPP fraud
A Starkville man who used Paycheck Protection Plan funds to buy a $1 million home and a $100,000 Tesla was sentenced in August to 6 1/2 years in federal prison.
Christopher Lick, 46, pleaded guilty in May to one count of wire fraud for misusing $6 million in federal COVID-19 relief money meant to help businesses.
Lick, who owned four companies, including Columbus-based Aspen River Candle Company, applied for PPP funds in 2020. He admitted to overstating the number of employees and payroll expenses of those businesses, according to court documents. Then, instead of spending the money on those businesses, he spent “lavishly” on personal items, such as the home and car, and also invested some of the federal funds in the stock market.
Annexation becomes official
On April 28, Starkville officially became 2.3 square miles larger and gained roughly 1,600 residents.
The area northeast of Mississippi State University and Highway 82 and south of Highway 182, which includes Clayton Village and University Hills, joined Starkville city limits following a two-year court battle.
Oktibbeha County Chancery Court upheld the city’s annexation plan in late 2021, after some residents of the proposed area challenged it. One concern was low-income residents being unable to adapt to the new code enforcement laws and regulations the city has that the county does not have.
Chris Latimer says goodbye
After almost 14 years serving as city attorney, Chris Latimer stepped down at the end of December, giving a heartfelt farewell to Mayor Lynn Spruill, the board of aldermen and department heads during the board’s final meeting of the year.
A native of Starkville, Latimer was a sportscaster for six years at WCBI before going to law school. He later joined the Mitchell, McNutt and Sams law firm and was appointed city attorney in 2009. He now lives with his family in Oxford.
Berk Huskison, also with Mitchell, McNutt and Sams, is assuming the city attorney role.
Top web stories of 2022
1. CHS Valedictorian receives $1M in scholarship offers
2. Hamilton Daycare workers terminated over viral video
3. Man shot after declining weed
4. CMS cheerleading goes viral with 18M views
5. 19 arrested in Lowndes drug roundup
6. FBI, other agencies raid J5 offices
7. Drunk driver kills two motorcyclists on Hwy 82
8. How you can watch the 2022 Egg Bowl between Mississippi State and Ole Miss
9. Mississippi State football tries something different with new balconies at Davis Wade Stadium
10. Mississippi State survives in wild Egg Bowl, beats Ole Miss to close out regular season
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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