A rose to the Starkville Police Department as it kicks off its new Police Athletic League with a boxing program for boys and girls in grades 6-12. The PAL is directed by police officers Cpl. Kenya Bibbs and Sgt. Danté Thomas with former pro boxer Charles Clark serving as instructor for the 12 kids currently enrolled in the program. The kids participate in the boxing program after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Boxing is not only a great way to get and stay in shape, but it also creates positive relationships between the students and the police department as well as providing an activity that will keep kids out of trouble. Although in its infancy, we believe the PAL will grow and be a great outlet for kids who may not otherwise be involved in sports.
A rose to Columbus mayor Keith Gaskin and the city council for its handling of the medical marijuana debate. Cities and counties have until Tuesday to opt out of the program, which would mean no medical marijuana related businesses — grow houses, processing or testing facilities and no dispensaries could be located within its jurisdiction. While some counties and cities have chosen to opt out — including Caledonia — the majority of counties and cities seem poised to allow medical marijuana businesses to operate in their areas. The mayor and council have made every effort to hear from both supporters and opponents of medical marijuana operations in the city, first at its April 19 board meeting and again Thursday during its work session. These meetings have allowed the council to weigh the pros and cons and separate fact from fiction. Whatever decision is made, the council and the public will benefit from being well-informed on the topic.
A rose to East Mississippi Community College for exposing area high school students to careers in the healthcare field and EMCC’s educational programs that provide training in those fields. On Thursday, EMCC hosted its first Health Fair at the Communiversity. With the demand for health care professionals in almost every position increasing, students were able to learn about the different options available to them. Students from Lowndes County School District, West Point, Millsaps Career and Technology Center in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, and Louisville all came out to learn from industry professionals and current EMCC students. We applaud EMCC and the high school for working together to provide students with information that will help them in their future studies and career paths.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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