A rose to Security National Properties, which owns Leigh Mall, and city of Columbus officials, who have worked together to begin a much-needed repaving of the mall’s parking lot and lanes. Work began on the three-phase, $1-million-plus project last week.
For years now, shoppers at the mall have complained about the conditions of the parking lots at the mall. And while the property owners are to be commended for their significant financial investment in this project, the influence exerted by city officials was important in getting the long-overdue work under way.
On Aug. 9, the city sent a letter to the owners that stated the condition of the parking lot had become a safety issue the city could no longer ignore, In that letter, the city pointed out 51 areas on the property that were code violations, most of them potholes, and asked the owners to begin the necessary repairs. We applaud the mall’s owners for taking this matter to heart and to the city officials who used their influence to bring improvements to Leigh Mall, which remains a key part of the city’s retail community.
A rose to the Jones family, which has re-opened Jones Cafe, one of the key businesses on historic Catfish Alley. The restaurant, opened by Sallie Mae Jones in the 1940s, closed about a year ago due to an illness in the family. The restaurant will be open Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. The cafe’s return represents a direct link between today’s Catfish Alley and the Catfish Alley of the past, which served as a shining example of black entrepreneurship dating to the late 19th century.
A rose to the Starkville Police Department and officers Crystal Hackett and Brooke Carpenter for making some history this week. Former SPD corporals Hackett and Carpenter were promoted to the rank of sergeant, which represents the first time the city’s police department has promoted to female officers simultaneously. SPD Chief Frank Nichols said both officers were promoted based on their qualifications, not their gender. Even so, the promotions of the two officers, both in their eighth year with the department, sends a strong message that there are no glass ceilings in the SPD. That’s an encouraging message, one that warrants our congratulations.
A rose to Mississippi University for Women for providing a fun way to promote fitness while raising funds for a worthy cause. The event will benefit local charity Helping Hands Ministry, which also partners with the United Way of Lowndes County to provide disaster relief aid and many other services for people in the community. This year’s Charity Fitness Party theme is “Fitness through the Ages,” and includes 50’s Social Dancing, 60’s Zumba, 70’s Dance Aerobics, 80’s Pound and 90’s Hip Hop Line Dancing. There is no fee to attend, but all participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item. So empty your pantry, put on those dancing shoes and head out to The W.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.