A rose to all those who sacrificed a part of their Christmas Day to serve the public. While Christmas is a day off to enjoy family and friends for most of us, there are many who work on the holiday to provide essential (and non-essential) services — law enforcement, firefighters, emergency service workers, utility company employees, hospital and urgent care clinic employees to name a few. We thank you for the important work you do and for the sacrifices you are sometimes called to make for our benefit. Merry Christmas!

A rose to Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin for his decision to bury a time capsule on New Year’s Eve and inviting the public to contribute items that will be unearthed in 2072, the city’s 250th anniversary. We believe time capsules have a value that goes beyond the curiosity and anticipation that increases as the time goes by until the time capsules are reopened. Now, it’s an opportunity for us to reflect on who we are, what we believe to be important and how we want to be remembered. For those who are around when the time capsule is retrieved in 50 years, it’s a chance to reconnect with those who preceded them, tying the past together with the future. We encourage citizens to carefully consider contributing items that tell our story to those who follow.

A rose to the city of Starkville, which announced its masterplan for a $16 million upgrade for the city’s parks. Based on recommendations from a landscape architect firm, the plan includes many renovations at all city park facilities. Of particular note, the plan creates more walking paths and green spaces that can serve a wide variety of uses. The old “let’s build a ballfield and call it a day” approach has been abandoned to create a diverse offering of recreational opportunities while creating opportunities to adapt to new trends as they emerge. It’s clear careful thought was given to both the current recreational needs of the community as well as future possibilities for facilities that have yet to emerge. It’s a practical, flexible, forward-focused plan.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.