It was a year of highs and lows in Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
From two spring fires leaving more than 100 people homeless to a devastating November tornado that tore through The Pines mobile home park, Starkville residents were forced to deal with their share of hardships. But the events also brought the community together, as residents took in friends and neighbors, donated food and clothing and fixed meals for those in need.
School uniform policy creates controversy
Many parents and students threw a fit in early 2010 when the Starkville School District announced it was considering a dress code which would require students to wear clothes of a certain style and color during the upcoming school year. Some folks cited the cost of purchasing new clothes for their children as their reason for opposing the measure, while others claimed the school district was taking away their personal freedoms and individual rights. One group of parents even filed a lawsuit against the SSD, but a judge dismissed the suit. Despite the uproar, some parents supported the policy, saying it would actually save them money because they wouldn’t have to purchase designer clothes for their children. Others said the policy would lead to a reduction in bullying, as all students would be wearing similar outfits and less wealthy children wouldn’t be targeted. The dress code ultimately was enacted and enforced with few problems.
Fires displace more than 100 people
Starkville was reeling in early 2010 from the Dec. 28, 2009, fire at Academy Crossing Apartments which left nine people dead. When fire broke out in April at Crossgates Apartments off Stark Road, many city residents feared the worst. Three buildings were destroyed and four others were damaged, but no residents were injured. Three firefighters, however, sustained minor injuries while battling the blaze. Approximately 50 people were displaced. Weeks later, another fire broke out at Campus Trails Apartments off Blackjack Road and displaced approximately 70 residents, though nobody was injured. Much like the aftermath of the Academy Crossing fire, the Golden Triangle community rallied to donate money, clothing and other items to the Crossgates and Campus Trails fire victims, many of whom were Mississippi State University students.
Tornado hits The Pines
It was just after 11 p.m. on Nov. 29 when a tornado touched down in Starkville and devastated The Pines mobile home park off Louisville Street. Fifteen homes in The Pines were destroyed by the storm, 18 more sustained major damage, 20 received minor damage and 44 others were affected, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. In Oktibbeha County, 15 people were injured, though no deaths were reported. Several other homes on Louisville Street, Yellow Jacket Drive, Jackson Street, Montgomery Street and in the Pleasant Acres community also were damaged. The Northeast Mississippi chapter of the American Red Cross, along with Oktibbeha Starkville Emergency Response Volunteer Services, provided assistance to storm victims as citizens of Starkville once again donated money, clothing and other items for the recovery effort. The same line of storms spawned 13 tornadoes throughout the state and caused damaged from Yazoo City in the southwest to Monroe County in the northeast.
Cadence Bank buyout
Starkville-based Cadence Bank this fall agreed to be bought by Trustmark Bank, but backed out of the deal shortly thereafter in favor of a new opportunity with Texas-based Community Bancorp LLC. Due to a potential overlap in markets — Trustmark and Cadence are located a block from each other in downtown Columbus — Trustmark executives said some Cadence branches most likely would have closed in the deal and stockholders would have received $2 per common share. Under the Community Bancorp deal, stockholders are due to receive $2.50 per share and Cadence will maintain its name and branch locations. Cadence shareholders this month approved the merger with CBC and the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2011, Cadence Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lewis Mallory Jr. said. Recently, Cadence settled a class action suit, brought by Cadence shareholder RSD Capital, which alleged Mallory, Cadence President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Abernathy, Cadence Financial Corp., Community Bancorp LLC and 10 additional members of Cadence’s board of directors concealed details in a proxy statement to public shareholders in order to complete “a transaction which protects and advances the interests of Cadence’s management team who are using this opportunity to benefit themselves.”
Mississippi State University football player dies
At the start of the Mississippi State University football season, defensive end Nick Bell was his normal, happy-go-lucky self. Just two months later, Bell was dead after a brief battle with cancer. The Mississippi State and Southeastern Conference community mourned the loss of the 20-year-old Alabama native and raised funds to help his family pay for medical bills. Prior to the Bulldogs home game Nov. 20 against the University of Arkansas, a moment of silence was held at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. The silence was broken by Bell’s mother, donned in her late son’s jersey, as she began ringing a cowbell on the side of the field. Within seconds, thousands of Mississippi State fans joined in as a tribute to the fallen player.
Graduation party shooting
One man was killed and three people were wounded in a post-graduation party shooting on May 22 at Dr. D.L. Conner Drive and Highway 182. The alleged shooter, 18-year-old Dennis Thompson, was a football player for Starkville High School and claimed he was harassed by members of the Westside Boys gang, then assaulted during a party at 124 Place. After being punched in the face, Thompson allegedly started shooting, striking and killing 25-year-old Curtis “CK” Randle on Highway 182 near Grumpy’s. Thompson was charged with murder for Randle’s death. He also faces three counts of aggravated assault for non-fatal gunshot wounds suffered in the incident by Starkville High students Devier Outlaw and Azaria Ross, and East Oktibbeha High School student Tony Vincent Harris. Randle, Outlaw, Ross and Harris have been described by Starkville police as “innocent bystanders” who were not involved in Thompson’s conflict with the Westside Boys.
Sidewalk debate heats up
Members of the Starkville Board of Aldermen never expected the issue of sidewalks in the city to take up so much of their time. After months of debate and public hearings, the board still has yet to make amendments to the city’s much-debated sidewalk ordinance. Some residents want aldermen to amend the ordinance to exempt certain parts of the city, such as industrial areas along Industrial Park Road, Airport Road, Miley Drive and Pollard Road, from sidewalk construction requirements. Others, including members of the citizen-led transportation committee, feel the city only should grant variances if construction of a sidewalk is impossible due to topographical boundaries or if it would cause an undue financial hardship to the builder or property owner. A second public hearing on possible exemptions to Miley Drive, Pollard Road and portions of Industrial Park and Airport roads is scheduled for Jan. 4 at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall. Aldermen Ben Carver, Eric Parker, Roy A. Perkins and Henry Vaughn Sr. have said they favor the exemptions, but Mayor Parker Wiseman vowed to veto the amendments if the exemptions are included. Wiseman wants the transportation committee to continue their work on a variance process.
Moratorium on payday loan outfits
The Starkville Board of Aldermen in January enacted a 12-month moratorium on new high-interest lending businesses within city limits and this month extended the ban for another year, or until aldermen update the city’s comprehensive planning or zoning ordinance to regulate the busines
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
